The story of Hiaru Uzumaki
by Hiaru Uzumaki
Summary: I am a girl quite literally born junjuraki. So a lot of people want me. Fan freaking tastic! So let's see who all I have on my back: Orochimaru, the Akasuki, a bunch of other people. At least I'm not the only one. My best friend Rika is a born jinjuraki too! so yay to having someone to deal with this crap with me! Living the life of a ninja is so stressful. But it's fun!
1. The Begining

**~~Author's Note!- This is attempted and has been attempted many times. i'm trying to write this story but haven't succeeded yet. so ive decided that i will test this story out on wattpad. so please vote if you liked this story/shapter and i will judge on votes or comments if i should continue on the story... if you comment please if you don't have anything nice to say then go find another story to read. I don't like mean comments or mean people. I'm not the most perfect person so if i spell something wrong please notify me on it. I do not own Naruto or any of the characters from the acctual show. nor do i own the show. I only own the characters i Put in the story some like: Hiaru (main O.C.), Yukii, Kina, kani, tenji, and others that i will later mention. I am putting in my cousin's character Rika blackblood, so just to point that out I don't own her. Well enjoy!~~**

~narrator~ legend says that once every melinea a new bijuu is born. the previous bijuu gives its life so the new generation can live. But if the bijuu is sealed with in a human the demon inside transferes it's genes to the humans child. Making the child a born jinjuraki. it has only happened once in all time, but the night of October 31st it happened for the second time in all history. around this time another has been born the same as these two rare children grow up in life facing danger at every turn. They both are destined for destruction or the key to saving the world another gazillion years.

_~ past ~_

it was a dark stormy night. Hinata had just given birth to her second child. A child literally born with a curse. Hiaru is what Hinata and Naruto had named her.

Naruto had just taken their son Tamaki down stairs to get something to munch on, so Hinata was alone in the room with her newborn. The doctors had told Hinata not to move too much as she has had problems during labor.

Hinata stared at her blonde baby, it was one of the most beautiful things she had ever seen. she suddenly senced chakra. The lights went out and it was dark. She looked to the source and as if on cue a flash of lightning lit up the room long enough for her to make out the face.  
"Orochimaru?" She said startled. He answered with his creepy smile and chuckled. He strode closer to the bed and the baby. Hinata instinctivly tensed and sat straighter. "Why are you here?" she asked getting straight to the point. "Well I know every few centeries a bijuu has an offspring. And I happen to guess around the time the kyuubi makes it's own" he said turning his snake like stare to the now waking baby. "i have decided i will take the jinjuraki now, rather than take her against her will when she is older." he said taking another step towards the child who began crying under his stare.

Hinata almost got up but was stopped by the slice of the sword that had appeared from his mouth. Hinata felt pain and warm sticky blood drain from her throat. "No" she said in a gurgly voice. The life dissapeared from her eyes and she was dead. The now screaming infant squirmed when Orochimaru picked her up and was just about to jump out the window when Naruto walked in with tea and a bag of chips, a small boy folowing him with the same in his hands.

Naruto dropped everything and charged at Orochimaru. Orochimaru jumped out the window and jumped on roof tops not in the mood to let the power in his hands go. Naruto tackles him down sending the baby air-born. Naruto didn't hesitate. He jumped up and caught her mid air. Now the Kyuubi was reacting with the same protective anger. "Why/" he and Kyuubi asked in unison. Orochimaru snickered in amusement. "Why else? for an expirement. She may well be my key to complete immortality. All well I'll just get her when she's already trained. Bye-bye little fox" he dissapeared at the last word.

~ five years pass~

"Hiaru, sweetheart it's time to get up. Do you know what today is? Your first day of the academy! Come on." Hiaru's grandmother said gently shaking Hiaru awake. "Mmm, a little longer" Hiaru mumbled. "No. Now up!" her Grandmother said with a light push.

Hiaru groaned and complained but she got up, dressed, and walked to the kitchen. She sat down rubbing the last of the sleep from her eyes, and quietly ate her breakfast with her grandparents. "So, are you ready for your first day of academy?" her grandfather asked absently. "Yes, I'm quite exited for it acctually!" Hiaru answered cheerfully. "I do expect you to be on your best behavior. And even if I've alreaky taught you the lesson that the sensei teaches you will do your fair share of the work. And don't brag. Bragging gets you in trouble. And also-" Hiaru tuned out her grandfather and his warnings. She had heard the same thing like for the past week.

Finally she and her grandfather left for the academy. It was a scilent walk and at the pace they were going they got there rather quickly. "Bye-bye grampa! see you later!" Hiaru said before she walked into the building. The first day of academy was just Shikamaru sensei taking roll, telling us what we were going to learn this year, and sharing why everyone wanted to become a ninja. Most answers were something like I wanna be the best ninja to ever live, I want to be like my dad, or i want a cool headband like yours. Most not really ment to be true. Hiaru was last to share hers. "The reason I want to be a ninja" she started "Well to be honest I want to protect the people close to me, and kohona. It's my home after all!". Some stared at her like she was crazy, but others glared in jelousy. As if to say "Why didn't I think of that?"  
When the final bell rang she walked outside to wait for her grandfather. She sat down on a near by swing in the shade to wait. "Hey! Hiaru!" called a familiar voice. She turned and saw her older brother Tamaki and her father. "Bubba! Daddy!" she called back as she ran to them. She ran into their embrasse and lingered for a moment then let go. "I got some extra paperwork done, so I could come pick you up from your first day of the aacademy. Gosh you're growing up so fast!" Naruto said. "Hey how'd your and Tenji's training go? kick his butt again?" Tamaki asked. "You bet!" she answered.

They all went to Naruto's house and ate the dinner Hiaru made with the help of Tamaki. Hiaru talked of how much stronger she was getting, Tamaki talked of a super important mission he had to leave on tomarrow, and Naruto talked of some adventures he had. All in all it was a nice dinner and Hiaru cherished the moments she spent with her brother and father. Later that night Naruto walked the two of them back to the Hyuugas and said their goodnights.

The next day Hiaru was up and ready before her grandmother even came in to wake her. Hiaru put her hair up when her grandmother came in with a box. "Here Hiaru I want you to have this" she said handing the box to Hiaru. She opened it and inside were ribbons many colors and designes on them. "Oh gramma! They're beautiful! Thank you!" Hiaru said as she hugged her grandmother. She took out a plain red ribbon cut it in half evenly and tied the ribbons around the pigtails she had fixed her hair in. They ate their dinner quick and quietly and walked straight to the academy.  
"Grampa... I just want you to know that I really love you. You and Grama. I don't know what I'd do without you two." Hiaru said giving him a hug goodbye before she went in. She let go and bounced to the door. Just before the door closed she looked back to see a sweet smile on his face before he turned and walked away.

There was an enturuption after class had started. A girl, the one that was absent yesterday Hiaru guessed was escorted into the room by some shinobi she didn't recegnize. The girl looked very strange to Hiaru. She had blonde hair in a ponytail with a section of bangs covering her right eye, she had wolf ears and a tail, blue eyes, and a very irritated look on her face. Hiaru didn't notice the ... umm pull? connection? somwhere along those lines, but she felt conected to this girl and couldn't figure out why. The girl must have felt it too because she was staring right back at Hiaru with the expresion Hiaru felt on her own face.

"Ah, I believe this is Rika Blackblood?" Shikamaru Sensei asked the shinobi. "Yes, she skipped out yesterday. Caused some trouble as well" he answered. "Right" Shikamaru said "Okay Rika take a seat please." he gestured to the rows of desks. There was only one seat left and it was the one on Hiaru's right. Rika walked to the back of the room to the end of the middle row and sat down with a thunk. Rika said nothing the entire time she had been there, and Hiaru just couldn't push off this feeling.  
"psst" Hiaru whispered "Hey my name is Hiaru... umm would you like to play at the park with me after this is over?" Rika looked suprised and almost happy that she had asked. "Why would you play with a freak like me?" Rika asked sharply putting her defenses up. "Why wouldn't I? just because you look different doesn't mean I can't be your friend... Unless you don't want to be friends." Hiaru answered. Rika looked thoughtful for a moment then answered "Okay so where do we meet?" Hiaru smiled at the question. "When they release us we go into the yard there is a tree with a swing attached meet me at the swing. Oh and I will have to tell my Grampa where I'm going too so we have to wait for him as well!" Hiaru answered exitedly.

Class seemed to flash by with all the exitement bubbling in Hiaru. Hiaru walked to the swing and waited her grandfather came only a minute after she got outside. "Grampa? can I go to the park to play with my new friend?" even as she said it she felt Rika slowly aproching. He looked like he was about to say no, but he gave in to her bright adorable look. "Yes, but be home before it gets dark. You still remember the way right?" He said with a sigh. She nodded. "Alright be home by dinner then" he said as he left.

At the park Hiaru and Rika were having so much fun they hadn't realized how dark it had gotten. Hiaru realized it when it started to sprinkle. "Oh no! I'm late! uh I have to go home now Rika. I had fun today though!" Hiaru said slightly panicked. "Yeah I otta go home too... Can we do this again sometime?" Rika asked. "Definatly! see you tomarrow!" Hiaru said as she ran home.  
The sprinkle had turned into a heavey pour. Hiaru was running as fast as she could scared that she'd be in big trouble. she got to the house and used the moment to breath. "Gramma, Grampa I'm-" She was cut off by an agonizing scream. Hiaru ran the direction it came from and slowed when she saw one of the doors was open. She opened it wider and found her Grandparents slaughtered. Blood covering just about everything. Hiaru stood there shocked by the scene. She was trembling hard, but she couldn't help it. She swallowed the lump in her throat and finally noticed the man standing over them. She looked him in his red eyes and something just clicked. Like the anger finally settled and took over with instinct.

She felt he was trying to put her in a trance. Somewhere in the anger Hiaru unlocked a secret in the byakugan. It made her immune to this man's red eyes. No matter how much anger was taking over fear was still equal to it, plus she didn't normally run blindly into things Hiaru thought about it first then acted. She stepped back on instinct. as she was doing so a big hand closed around her neck from behind and lifted her off the ground. Hiaru clawed at his hand and squirmed under his iron grip.

"Hmm your sharingan isn't effective on her. Your losing your touch Itachi. Hey! quit squirming little brat!" The man holding her said. The red eyed man, Itachi stepped over the bodies and glared at the man holding Hiaru. "I'm not losing anything. She seemes to have unlocked something with her byakugan. I don't know all that much of it but i've never heard of this before. Look at her eyes Kisame." Following what Itachi said Kisame turned her to see her eyes. "Huh her eyes are slants. Who would have thought? I told you to quit squirming!" Kisame yelled the last sentance at Hiaru. He got very annoyed with her and threw her across the room with too much force and sent her through the wall and slaming into a mirror. Where she immeadiatly got knocked out.  
"Kisame!" Itachi yelled angrily "We were ordered NOT to hurt her". Kisame laughed a little "Sorry, the brat was giving me a headace" he answered fighting another laugh. Itachi sighed and walked through the hole in the wall to fetch the now unconsious girl. He swung her over his shoulder and walked away from another family he destroyed.

When Hiaru woke up, she was sore and slightly dazed. She was tied to a tree only a few feet from a campfire. Itachi was staring into the flames, Kisame on the oposite side his back to Hiaru sleeping. Hiaru quietly struggled against the ropes. "Struggling will only make your back even more sore. You are not getting out of your bounds so sit still already." Itachi said not looking away from the fire. "Can I at least have an explaimation? Why did you kill my grandparents and kidnap me? Who the heck are you? and I have a hundred more questions, but those mainly I really need answered" Hiaru said Irritated and hiding her slowly growing fear.

Itachi gave her a side ways glance and held her stare. She felt byakugan activate again at his red eyes. Then he full bodied turned to her elbows resting on his knees. "Why is it that you are imune to my sharingan? That is my question. Your questions will be answered when I get mine" Itachi said still staring Hiaru down. Hiaru held his stare not willing to back down. "Well I don't really know. It's never happened before!" She answered fighting not to yell at him. "How well were you in training? I knew your grandfather would train you long before academy. That's what he did with his children. How did you progress?" Itachi asked simply. Hiaru glared at him. "Why does it matter?" she asked back. "Well judging by how fast and well you were in training will tell me why you are able to use an unknown power of byakugan" Itachi finally blinked.  
"Well I beat Tenji many times, Have taken my brother down once when he wasn't going easy on me, and Grampa made me meditate a lot. Answer anything for you?" she asked very annoyed. Itachi stared at her with a blank expression on his face, but in his eyes she could almost see the gears working in his head. "Hmm, perhaps it was you being so utterly shocked and angered that activated it? Perhaps it's your demon side activating? yes, I will have to study your progression closely." he said with intrest. "Okay new question needed answered. My demon side? What's that suppose to mean? Darn it you got your answer now answer my questions!" Hiaru said fully irritated.

Itachi stared at her. "Okay. One question at a time I'm only answering a few though." Hiaru's irritation died down a little. "Okay so first why did you kill my grandparents and kidnap me?" Itachi stared in thought for a moment. "Because I was ordered too get you at any cost. Your grandparents wouldn't give me the information I needed so I disposed of them." he answered like it was a simple and meaning less answer. Hiaru fought the urge to struggle so she could slap him. "Okay... Who are you? both of you?". "I'm Itachi he's Kisame". "No. I already know your names". "Then why'd you ask?" He asked as if Hiaru was stupid. "I meant like what kind of orginization are you apart of. Who are you two?" she asked in annoyance. "We are Itachi and Kisame. We are part of the orginization Akasuki. I don't feel like going through all the details". "Fine!" Hiaru nearly yelled."What do you mean by my demon side? Just answer that in deatail please." Hiaru said in full irritation. Itachi suddenly got a serious look on his face. "You were literally born with a demon inside you. A fox demon to be exact, a Kyuubi. Your father has your demon father the original Kyuubi sealed inside of him. So you have what would be called a split personality literally. The moment you were born you had to have a seal put on you to control the beast within. You were born Jinjuraki which makes you Akasuki's priority to take and use at our will. So you will be used at akasuki's will and for our purpose. You. Are. The. New Generation. Of the Kyuubi. Which means that the original Kyuubi will soon dissapear. Leaving only you and your demon behind." He held her eyes with his intense stare. Hiaru totaly suprised at how much he had just said, so much she didn't know.

"H-how do I know you're not lying?" she said her voice shaking. Itachi got up walked to her and kelt until they were almost eye to eye. He pointed with his index and middle finger and mearly touched her forhead. She suddenly was in a giant room with water to her mid shin."W-where am I?" She asked. She noticed giant cadge with something lurking in it. a seal in the middle of it was the only thing keeping the thing inside. "Why don't you show yourself? She deserves to meet the demon living inside of her after all." I tachi said right behind her on her left. A set of red eyes opened from behind the thick bars. It stared at her and she suddenly felt a burning sensation on her lower back.  
Hiaru trembled as she put her hand on the spot it burned. The second she touched it the demon behind the cadge growled showing sharp white teeth. She let her hand fall to her side as she stared at the thing behind bars. "S-show yourself." She said. she had to know what it looked like. It snarled at her but did as the said. red chakra lit up the whole room. Inside was a fox about three times Itachi's highth. Suddenly they were back in the regular world.

Hiaru was speachless, and still trembling hard. Itachi fell backward and was breathing hard. "Believe me now?" he said. "I I" she couldn't say anything more. She was just too stunned. Itachi got up and grabbed something wrapped in a napkin and sat in front of her again. "Here. Food we saved while you were unconsious" He said unwrapping it. He held a stick of cooked fish to her. "Why are you feeding me? Arn't I a prisoner?" Hiaru asked with misery and wonder. Itachi held the fish to her mouth waiting for her to take a bite. Hunger over whelmed her and she gave in to the food in her face. She took a bite, she felt a little better immediatly. Itachi fed her since her hands were bound and he didn't feel like untying her then tying her back.  
Sometime in the night Kisame and Itachi switched who was keeping watch Hiaru payed them no more attention she was focused on the sky. She felt Kisame's stare as she stared off into space. She turned to him sharply. "What?" she asked sharply. "Your byakugan isn't activated and you seem much more quiet then I expected. What happened while I was asleep?" he asked with pure curiousity. Hiaru said nothing. She just stared at him. "Well answer me" he said still expecting an answer. "Leave. Me. Alone" she said turning her gaze back to the stars.

He huffed but did nothing more. Somewhere in the night she must have fallen asleep because the next thing she knew she was being untied. The sky was an orange-pink color. Sunrise she guessed. "Am I allowed to walk?" she asked quietly. Kisame huffed and glared at her. Itachi thought about it for a moment then said "Kiisame keep an eye on her. You" he pointed to Hiaru "follow me, make onw wrong move and you'll be tied up and carried. Got it?" Hiaru nodded.

They walked for hours non-stop. Hiaru pondered on how she was going to escape. She felt a strong chakra aproaching. Four people heading their way. Hiaru stopped and stared in the direction it was coming from. Kisame shoved her forward, so she would keep walking. Hiaru just stumbled a little but continued to stare, then she felt the lightning power shooting toward them. She gasped and dived for the ground. just as she hit the ground lightning hit just between her and Itachi.  
Hiaru looked back in the direction the lightning came from. A man with a face that resembled Itachi's with black hair and sharingan, a woman with bright red hair, another man with white hair and purple eyes, and another guy with spiky orange hair. They appeared from out of the trees and were standing in some formation. The red head looked at Hiaru with a perplexed look on her face.

"Itachi's mine. Make sure Kisame doesn't get in my way" the Itachi look-a-like said not taking his eyes off Itachi. Hiaru took the moment of distraction to run. Itachi made a quick move and grabbed her by the hair and pulled until she was bound by one of his arms. "Hiding behind a child Itachi? Wow you've gotten weak. What's with-" he stopped and took a good long look at Hiaru. "A blonde girl with byakugan? I thought the Hugga clan only had blue or black haired kids. Wait don't tell me you're Naruto's kid?" he saounded acctually suprised. "Tch, whatever fight me Itachi! it's time you payed!" he yelled.

"It's time you payed for killing our clan! everyone! I cared about!" he yelled. Hiaru listened to his words and felt the same hatred he felt. She felt the burning start from her lower back and slowly spread throughout her body. She felt her nails and cainines sharpen and grow. She couldn't breath with all the heat coming off her body she met the black haired mans eyes and suddenly was under his control. She didn't know why but she all of the sudden wanted to kill Itachi and Kisame at his word. He must have felt the connection as well, because he was staring at her with an intense stare. "Hiaru. Move out of his grip now so I may slauter him." he said. Hiaru kicked over her head. Itachi caught her ankle. "Use the fire ball jutsu" he spoke within her mind. Then the next thing she knew she was blowing blue fire in Itachi's face. He let go and Hiaru jumped behind the look-a-like. "Who are you?" she asked him. He spoke within her mind again "Sasuke Uchiha. Now would be a good time to run. I release you". And at the snap of his fingeres she was released all of the burning stopped and she turned and ran as fast as she could.  
She could hear them right behind her only a few feet away. She heard a river near by, and by the sounds of it a water fall just ahead of her. She looked back and saw Kisame and Itachi followed by Sasuke and his team. Hiaru got to the river and just didn't think before she acted. She jumped to a rock and jumped rock to rock until she was on a rock in the middle of the river and at the top of the water fall. She looked again behind her and Itachi was only a few rocks from where she was. She turned and jumped. Itachi had gotten the very edge of her shirt, but it wasn't enough to pull her back up.

She hit the water and plumited down. She hit the bottom and through the water heard a loud crack. Pain shot through her left arm. She fought a scream so instead she cried. not that she could tell until she croke the surface. She fought to ignore the pain and swam to the edge, kicking hard and padling with one arm. She pulled herself up and out of the water, got up, and ran hugging her hurt arm to her side. She ran until she couldn't feel any of their chakra and finally stopped to assess her arm.

She was breathing hard. It hurt so badly. She saw she didn't have the things she needed to at least hold it in one place so she just let it go limp. She walked straight not really knowing where she was going. Before she knew it she was in a dessert. How'd she gotten out here? she wondered. Her arm had swolen and bruised, She was hungry, and dying of thirst. After two days of non-stop walking in the dessert she eventually passed out.  
When Hiaru woke up she was in a white room with a curtain blocking the rest of the room. Her arm was in a white cast and in her other arm she had an I.V. in her hand. She sat up and looked out the window. It definatly wasn't Kohona. She had no idea where she was, but it was definetly still in the dessert.

A nurse walked in with a full bag of water. "Oh! goodness. I didn't think you would wake up so fast. How are you feeling?" she asked. Hiaru looked at her and said "I've just had the worst expirience of my life. I'm not doing so good to put it in nicer terms". "Well let's see how your temperature and water level is shall we?" The nurse took her temperature and did some tests. "Well seems like everything is functioning okay. You just need to drink more water thats all. You'll be up and ready to go home by tomarrow! oh that reminds me some shinobi from the leaf are here to pick you up. I'll send for one of them now". With that she up and left.

Hiaru just sat there a moment, then she saw a big mirror on the other side of the room. She got up, took the I.V. out and walked over to it. She put her back to the mirror and lifted her hospital shirt. She saw the seal that had been put on her to keep her under control. As she stared at the mark someone walked in. Hiaru looked at him in the mirror. He was a tall man with long white spiky hair, red marks going down his face, and kind dark eyes. He stared at her for a moment then sat down on the bed.  
"So. You figured it out then?" he asked. She turned to him letting hershirt fall back into place. "Itachi showed me, the thing inside... Why wasn't I told about this?" she asked. He looked kind of sad. "You were going to be told... but not when you are still so young. naruto didn't think they'd come for you this early in your life. Naruto said to bring you straight to him when we got back. He said he'd explain everything." he said. She crossed her arms and asked him "Who are you?" He stared in thought for a moment. "Well I guess in a sence I'm naruto's godfather" he said with a smile.

Hiaru drank five bottles of water in the seven hours since she'd been up. She talked with who she's been told to call him pawpaw the rest of that day. He was there when she went to sleep that night, which was major comfort since all she's been through. In the morning the Hospital sent fifteen bottles of water for the trip home. There were other ninja with them, but she didn't pay much attention to them. She stayed close to her pawpaw and watch their surroundings. Within a day and a half they arrived to the leaf village. Naruto explained the situation to Hiaru, and Hiaru told him everything that had happened when she was kipnapped.

Hiaru continued to attend the academy even though she was exhausted mentaly. Her and Rika continued to grow closer everyday they spent together. It had been a week after she had been back when she got the news that her brother had died on the important mission he had gone on. They hadn't been able to recover his remainds. For a while Hiaru was heart broken, but eventually she healed.  
That had happened eight years ago... I still have nightmares about it only snakes mixed in. I look forward to every day, because knowing that i'd gotten away and survived made me grateful for every moment I spent with Rika, My dad, and my other friends and family. The only thing is I'm the last living bloodline from the main vessile of the Huuga clan. To keep that vessile going strong I will do what ever it takes to keep my friends, family, and try not to die myself. I'M HIARU UZUMAKI! AMD I WILL FIGHT FOR MY FRIENDS LIVES AS WELL AS MY OWN! BELIEVE IT!

**~~ authors note~~**

**Okay i know really long but vote please! and if you wud like to compliment then comment! if nothing nice can type on your keyboard then find another story and read it! Hope you enjoyed it I won't update until I get five votes on this chapter.**  
**And also I have this same story on .com so please make an account and vote for this story on there as well!**


	2. New Team 7 Plus a Stalker

My dream was full of nightmares. My grandparents being slaughtered, snakes attaking me, I'm running from something. I should be use to it by now right? sigh what can I say? can't help but being scared.

My dream ended with a scream. I jolted up wide awake. The so called screaming? yeah that was actually my alarm clock. I pressed the button silencing the ringing.

"Why does it always seem mornings come so quickly?" I asked my self.

I got up took a quick shower, dried my hair, and put it into pigtails with black ribbons. I applied some light eye liner and well nothing else. My eyelashes are already thick and bold so no need for masscara.

My outfit for today was a light blue spaggeti strap with fishnet underneath, black shorts, a jacket that was black on the sleaves and top stoping at my chest and the rest had electric blue on it, and black ninja shoes. On the back of my jacket I had the Uzumaki symbol on it.

Yup you heard me Uzumaki, as in the Hokage's daughter? Yes. I mean exactly that. Naruto Uzumaki is in fact my dad. Wooptydo! I guess.

I walked to the kitchen and dug out some cup ramen and milk. I searched the carton for the expiration date, and it was plucked out of my hands.

"Morning! and as long as it isn't solid it's still edible." Naruto said.

He shook it close to his ear. While doing so I found the expiration date. It was like over a week old.

"Yup! it's still good."

He was just about to pour it in his own ramen when I took it from him. I walked to the sink and dumped it down the drain.

"Hey! Wha- what are you doing?"

"Pouring it out! it's old. If I had let you drink this you would have food poisoning! and I don't plan on that happening."

"But it wasn't chunky."

"It doesn't matter if it was chunky or not. If it's over a few days of it's expiration date then it's not counted safe to eat. I'll grab milk on my way home today. Well I might as well grab a whole bunch of grociries, because we seem to be out of EVERYTHING!" I turned to glare at him with an anime vein popping out on the side of my head "Would you happen to know what happened to all the food in the fridge dad?"

He sweat dropped "Um well ya see about that uh heheh. Umm"

I gave him the death stare.

"Okay. Okay. So I may have been snacking at night. It's not my fault I'm so hungry!"

Sigh. What am I gonna do with him?

I picked my cup of ramen up filled it with water and put it in the microwave. Naruto did the same, and we ate our breakfast quickly.

I walked down the street to the academy, feeling bored and still tired.

"Hey! Hiaru!" a familiar voice called from behind. I was suddenly glomped to the ground.

"Ow. Hi Rika. Good morning? i'm guessing?"

"Eh. I just find joy in glomping the holy ramen out of you."

"Great I feel special. Now. Get. Off."

She did and I got up and dusted myself off. We walked to the academy talking of random stuff that came to mind.

"Tomarrow you will be taking the graduation tests. On aim and clones. So study up and practice." Shikamaru Sensei said at the end of class.

Rika slammed her head on the desk, along with groans and complaints of others. I put a hand on her back.

"Hey. It's okay. If you want I'll help you practice on your clones with you."

"I think I would improve at least a little bit if you helped me."

As usual all the boys in the room were staring at me. Well exept for Yukii. Strange how the one boy I like is the only one who doesn't stare at me all through class. Oh and his beautiful silver hair! Sigh CURSE TEENAGE HORMONES!

We got up as the bell rang. Followed by like 15 pairs of eyes we walked out the door.

"You'd think after 8 years of being in the same class they would be use to my ears and tail"

"Uh... Yeah. I mean I was fine with them since I first met you. There's nothing wrong with them. I bet they're just jelous that you have something cool and they don't."

She smiled at my comment.

"Hmph."

We walked until we got to an open area, and we began training for tomarrow. After about 4 hours I had a feeling we were being watched. I looked in the direction I felt it coming from and saw a man with silver spikey hair, a mask covering his nose down, and his headband covering his left eye.

We held a stare for a moment. I couldn't put my fingure on it, but he seemed so familiar. We continued staring, then he broke the staring contest poking his nose back into the book he was carrying and walked away.

I was still mesmerized when a hand waved in my face.

"Hiaru? Hello? Any lights in the attick?"

I glared at her. "Any lights on in the attick? Really? Sigh what ever so a few more times to polish u up a bit?"

"Yeah I think it would be good for tomarrow."

"Okay. So again!"

We both made 10 perfect copies of our selves. All 10 Rika's were jumping for joy all talking at once. All 10 of me were either swear dropping or anime falling.

"Okay I have to pick up groceries. You want to come with?"

"Nah. I think I'll practice a little more. Meet you tomarrow?"

"Always."

We fist bumped and parted ways.

I made dinner and took it to the Hokage building. Dad was piled in paper work when I walked in. He stopped imediatly when he smelt the plates of food I was carrying. He pushed things aside so we would have a place to eat.

"So what's for dinner tonight?"

"The food I cooked. So either way you're going to eat it."

"Mmmmm it smells great!"

We ate in silence, just enjoying the others company. Just from how hungry we were we both ate very fast. I took the plates and went home. When I got the the porch there was a package in front of my door. I put the plates down and opened it. It smelt horrible! I nearly threw up from the sight!

A dead squirrle ripped apart with a bloody light purple bow tied to what I guessed it's neck. on the bottom of the lid there was a letter. I opened it.

It read _Hiaru I love you! I would kill a fast nut-job for you. All you would have to do is say the word. I followed you home one afternoon. I am just too mesmerized by your beauty. I needed to find the glorious place you call home. I want you to be_ **MINE!**

"What the hell kinda crack-case would do this? jeez."

I pushed the box away from the door with my boot grabbed the plates and took them inside. I grabbed gloves, a trash bag, and a mask and put the cut up squirrle and its box in the dump. Threw away the gloves and the mask and hightailed it back inside the apartment and locked the door behind me.

The next morning I walked to school exited for the test. As long as I was confident even if I failed I would still pass.

The tests passed in a flash. Yukii came out with his headband on his head, then Rika, then the last one in was me. Hell ya! I passed! and I walked in with it around my head.

After all that Shikamaru Sensei anounced that we would be assigned our teams tomarrow! gosh I can't wait!

The rest of the day I hung out with Rika. We ate Ichiraku Ramen, and dad even met us there. Him and I raced to see who could eat the most and fastest. It was 20 to 18. Ha new generation old man! After that dad went back to the office to finish some last minute papers, Rika went home, and I walked home.

I noticed another package on my porch. This time it was wrapped in colorful paper, and the letter was taped to the top.

It read _For one not so shy as you, to tell you i'm in love with you. I would kill the one with stelth to ensure your heath. and to say no sly fox will wiggle your way. for I will be in its way. I want you to be_ **MINE!**

I hesitntly opened it. I gasped in shock, horror, disscust, and because the stench was just horrible! In the wrapped box lay a cut up fox. I Slammed the top back on picked up the box ran to the dumpster threw it in and ran for the door. I slammed the door shut locked it and slid down to the floor terrified.

The next morning I woke up, completely skipped breakfast and went straight to the academy. Shikamaru sensei anounced our teams.

"Cell 7. Hiaru Uzumaki, Rika Jisastu, and Yukii Hatake."

That's all I heard other wise my mind was stuck on that grusom image of that slaughtered fox. I wanted to find out who the hell was doing this so I could put a stop to it.

"So after lunch you will all meet with your new sensei's. Good luck!"

With that everyone left. Rika and I were about to walk out when I saw Yukii just sitting there.

"Rika? Do you think we should ask Yukii if he wants to eat with us?"

"I don't care. He can If he wants I guess."

I nodded, and pulled all of my courage up and walked to him.

"Hey Yukii. Umm would you like to eat lunch with us? You know since we're going to be on a team anyways?"

He stared at me for a moment then smirked. "Sure. Lead the way."

I started walking to the door where Rika was waiting. We walked to Ichiraku and ate there. All we did was eat a quick bowl of ramen and went back to the academy to wait for our sensei.

"How much longer is he or she gonna take!" Rika complained.

"Well he's normally late for things like this. He's late for most things actually." Yukii replied.

"Wait you know who he is?"

"Yes. He's my dad."

"NO WAY! wow that's gonna be kinda akward for you two."

"I admit I didn't expect it."

Yukii and Rika went on with their conversation, and I kept pondering on who was sending me those horrific bodies.

"Um Hiaru I don't know what the floor did to you, but i'm sure it feels really sorry now. Espesially with the glare you're giving it." Rika interupted my thoughts.

"Oh. Uh Yeah. Sorry floor! haha. So what were we talkin' about?"

They both sweat dropped. The door suddenly opened reveiling the new sensei. Wait hold on. He's that guy that was staring at Rika and I the other day.

"So You're the new team? Yukii? Oh great. And two girls? well this will be interesting. Follow me."

We followed him to the roof, and sat down.

**~~Kakashi's POV~**~

I looked at the two girls in front of me and my son. Sigh. Who would have thought? Well this is what I get when Naruto just throws names into a hat and picks randomly.

Yukii looked bored, the girl with black hair and dog ears looked unimpressed with me, and the blond looked... troubled.

"Ok so lets start out with introductions shall we?"

"Introductions?" The dog eared asked.

"Like your name, likes , disslikes, hobbies, dreams, goals that kind of thing."

The blond seemed to come back down to reallity "Then why don't you start. Your a mystery to some of us."

"Alright my name is Kakashi, I have many likes and disslikes, and I wish not to share my hobbies, goals or dreams. So lets start with you." I pointed to my son.

He sighed "My name is Yukii Hatake, I like books, peaceful scenery, entertainment, and a certain someone, I disslike jerks, alcohol, people who hurt those dear to me, and harm the certain one I like, my hobbies I don't have much, dreams to be a great ninja i guess, goals? um havn't thought that far with life yet."

Sure I had already known most of that, but I highly doubted he even talked to these girls before today.

"Next." I gestured to the dog eared one

"Okay I'm Rika Jisastu, I like animals and my best friend Hiaru, I disslike people who judge on how someone else looks, spiders, and ketchup, hobbies are drawing, dreams and goals? well i'll just have to find on the way."

I simply looked at the last one. She seemed to be back in her very troubled thoughts again. Rika nugged her with her elbow. She looked up.

"Okay... I'm Hiaru Uzumaki, I like ramen, my best friend Rika... a certain someone, and other things I don't feel like going into, I disslike show-offs, bullies, stalkers" she shuddered at the word stalkers "im not afraid of them or anything but i don't like spiders, I especially don't like snakes, and a few other things, my hobbies are drawing, cooking, reading, writing, and sometimes singing, and a few other things, my dream? hmm well it's more on the goal side of things, but I want to protect the Leaf Village, and everyone in it, especially the one's I care about, another goal I have is to never leave a teamate behind, Even if it costs my life in exchange for theirs. Umm that's all I guess."

I smirked under the mask. I really liked this kid. She's Naruto's kid as well. Hmm His daughter and my son on the same team?

I noticed Hiaru was staring into space with a worried and troubled expression. I wonder what's wrong?

"Okay that's all for today. We will meet here tomarrow bright and early for the test I have planned out for you. Oh and don't eat breakfast if you don't want to puke."

I gave them a closed eye smile and poofed away

**~~Hiaru's POV~~**

I got up and started walking to my apartment when Rika stopped me.

"Wait! arn't you curious on what Kakashi sensei's gonna have us do tomarrow!

"Well it must be a blast since if we eat we're gonna puke our guts up. Maybe he's gonna take up camping in the forest of gumdrops!" I supplied sarcasticly.

Rika glared at me. "What's your problem? You've been so different lately! What's going on?"

"Nothing... I have to go make dinner. See you tomarrow"

I didn't mean to sound so harsh, but I couldn't help myself I was so aggitated and scared. I had to hold my insides still to keep myself from shaking.

I made dinner, took it to dad, we ate I walked home and once more another pakage with a letter attached.

_No matter how hard I try I can't stop gazing into your eyes. Since the other two havent gotten your attention, I give you this! out of love. No force of anyhuman being shall stop my love! __**YOU WILL BE**_** MINE!**

I didn't want to open it. I was shaking so badly, but I couldn't stop myself from taking the lid off. I screamed to the top of my lungs. I fell away from the box and scrambled backwards. The body of a person was in the box, cut apart, freash too the blood wasn't that old. I fought the urge to puke.

I ran back to my dad's office tears running down my face. I busted through the doors. He was talking with someone, they both directed their attention to me.

"Hiaru? What's wrong? Why are you so pale? What happened?" He asked standing up and waking around the desk.

"I-I... I've been getting the packages from this stalker with threaded animals in them. I opened the one on our porch right now... It has a dead body in it! Someone's been stalking me and killed someoneput them in a box and put it in front of our door for me to find." I was shaking so badly I almost fell.

Naruto wrapped his arms around me, and stroked my hair. "Shh. Shh. It's okay. You're going to be fine. It's all gonna be alright. Lee would you send for someone to remove the body please?"

"Yeah. No problem." Lee said.

I finally got a good look at him. He has a bowl shaped hair cut, big bushy eye brows, a green spandex suit, and by the looks of it a really big heart. He walked out.

"How long has this been going on?"

"Only three days including today."

"Why didn't you tell me about this before?"

"I thought it was nothing. At first it was a squirrle, then a fox, and- and now a person."

"Damn it. If someone sends you a ripped up animal you need to tell someone! Don't just try to deal with it your self. Things are much easier when you have someone to help you with it. Promis me if anything like this happens again you'll tell me. Even if you get a threat, anything tell me imeadiatly! ok?"

I nodded.

The next morning I ingored Kakashi's warning not to eat. I was hungry, and I had to drown my fear with something. Food just so happens to be the answer.

I didn't show up as early as Yukii and Rika did. In fact I showed up a few minutes before Kakashi did. Heh wait to go me!

"So your saying all we have to do is get a bell from you? and we pass?"Rika asked practically repeating what Kakashi had just said.

"Yes Rika, but only two of you can get a bell."

"Well that should be easy!"

Stop being so over self confident Rika! there's obviously a catch to all of this. Gosh she's such a baka sometimes!

I bet he wants us to work together, I mean if they didn't why would they put us on teams?

"Go!"

Yukii and Rika both scattered before I could say anything. Which left me in the open with Kakashi sensei.

"Are you going to try to get them? or no?"

"Hn... I know what game your playing here. All I need to do is get my side of the chest board set back up."

I activated byakugan and spotted the other two almost immeadiatley. I jumped into the forest and crawled next to Yukii.

"Hey you need to listen to me real quick."

"what? i'm trying to figure out how to get a bell here."

"Yeah, but listen-"

"Look your distracting me-"

"Shut up and listen we need to find Rika so we can work out a plan together in order to fugure out a plan. We need to work together. As a team."

"Hm you might be right. Fine I'll give it a try. How do we find her?"

"Already have that covered just follow me."

I moved quickly and very stelthly towards Rika.

"Rika. Hey listen we all need to divise a plan to get those bells."

"I want to get one on my own."

"but Rika that's-"

"I will get one on my own."

She jumped out of the bushes and attacked Kakashi head on.

"Well I guess we work as a team and help her" I smiled.

Yukii and I jumped out and did our thing. Our minds seemed to comunicate. Rika and Yukii distracted Kakashi while I snag the bells. We were succesful! I got the bells.

"Got them!"

We all jumped back in a triangle around Kakashi.

"So you got them. Now who are you going to choose to be on a team with?"

The question caught me totally off guard. I stared at the bells in my hand. and thought about what I had said yesterday. I looked up and smiled at Kakashi. I threw the bells at Yukii and Rika.

"I'll just give them the bells."

Kakashi looked totally taken back, shocked. I'm guessing he hasn't seen something like this in a very long time.

He gave me a closed eye smile. "Well looks like, and I don't believe i'm saying this. You pass. You're the first person to realize the whole point in teams and self sacrifice for others. So that your teammates could pass and become genien, you gave it all up for them. You two are both lucky to have her as a temmate." the timer dinged "And just in time too. Well looks like all three of you can enjoy a nice lunch."

And in a poof of smoke he dissapeared.

I was walking home from dinner with dad, and was relieved when I didn't see a package of any sort on my porch.

"I guess he got caught. What a relief."

I was just getting the door unllocked when I felt someone hit me from behind, and everything went black.

When I woke up I tried to move, but I was tied by my hands and feet, there was a gag in my mouth, and I had either a bag or a blindfold on. I couldn't exactly tell at the time.

"Oh you're awake... Good now I can spend time with my love. I love you ya know? And now you're mine. All mine for the taking." He finished with a very creepy laugh.

He definetly was NOT anywhere around my age. He sounds like he's in his... late 20s mid 30s.

"Will you be a good girl and be quiet when I take the bag and gag off?"

I needed to think this through, but I have to make him think I'm on his side. I nodded, and he giggled with delight. The bag was ripped off my head, and the gag being undone from behind. He kept muttering to himself, but I couldn't quite make out what he was saying.

"You're my pet now... Yes. You will be very entertaining indeed." He whispered into my ear.

I glared at him. I didn't dare breath a word, not with him this close to me. He came around and crouched in front of me and lifted my chin so my gaze would be locked with his. I finally got a good description of him, he had brown curly hair that was balding on top, he had dark insaine eyes, he was pale, and it looked as if he hadn't eaten for a while.

"I love you" he stroked my cheek and I pulled away. He lost his maniac smile. "You love me don't you? Tell me you love me." He pulled a kunai from his pouch and held it against my left cheek.

"Now tell me you love me" When I continued glaring at him he drove the kunai into my cheek. Gashing it, blood flowed and it hurt but I didn't make a sound. He unzipped my jacket and held a kunai to my colar bone.

"Tell me you love me back. NOW!"

I huffed glaring at him unblinkingly. I hoped I was making him angry. He would be more distracted that way. I reached between the sole of my shoe and the padding and pulled out a razor. I keep it there in case i'm tied up like this and I need a way out. I began slicing my ropes carefully and quietly.

"What makes you think I 'love you back'? I don't know you. Frankly sending boxes with dead things in them it a very messed up way to show love. You make me sick. You do not know what love is. Love is not based on looks. It's based on the person who means most to you, The one you've spent your life with, the one that'll listen to you problems. You know nothing of love or of it's true purpose. I. Do. NOT. Love. You. Nor do I even remotely like you."

He stared at me with a blank expresstion then it turned into madness. He slashed my chest, and I fell backwards. I quickly got to my knees, but he was already up. He kicked me in the face sending me flying to a wall. It felt rocky and hard. So we're in a cave I'm guessing.

I coughed up blood. I almost had it the ropes were almost cut through. He picked me up by my colar and pinned me to the wall.

"You do not love me? Fine if I can't have you. No one will." He stabbed me in the side with a Kunai, this time I did scream. I screamed at the top of my lungs on the most high pitched voice I could manage. He punched me constantly in the face. I'd dropped the razor, and the rope wasn't cut through enough for me to rip it apart.

He threw me in the air and kicked me to the ground. I skidded across the cave. I spit up blood, breathing hard. This was bad the wound was bleeding horribly, and there was nothing I could do about it. I felt something sharp touch my palm. I put the already cut rope to it and worked fast and furiously. I wasn't quick enough.

He picked me up and made me stand straight up. He punched me again, and I fell onto my back. He got on top of me and stabbed me in the shoulder. I screamed in pain, and so maybe by some chance someone would hear me.

I was losing blood fast and I was getting weaker. He brought the Kunai down aiming for my right eye, I closed my eyes expecting the impact. Non ever came. I opened my eyes and saw Kakashi sensei holding his arm up. Kakashi looked angry and very scary.

He picked the stalker up by his colar and threw him with all force into the same wall he had just had me pinned to. He stomped towards him and beat the living crap out of him. When he was done he let the stalker fall to the floor and walked to me.

Everything had begun to become blurry. My breath was shallow.

"Hiaru? can you hear me?"

I nodded wincing in pain.

"Okay I need you to stay with me okay try to stay awake. I'm going to get you to the hospital."

He picked me up bridal style and ran as fast as he could. Somewhere along the way the world got blurrier, and eventually went dark

When I woke up I was in a white room the rest blocked with a curtain. I sat up and looked out the window. Kahona as it usually was. Nice and sunny. I stared into space as I tried to remember what happened.

"I didn't expect you to be awake so early."

I turned to the window. Kakashi Sensei sat onthe windowsil, a book in his face.

"Thank you... For saving me."

"You are me pupil you know. I wouldn't just let you go missing for a day and not be worried. We're a team, we stick together."

"How long was I gone? like exactly."

"Well you didn't show for training, I went to your house, the ramen shop, I went to see Naruto about it. He said he hadn't seen you since the other night. Ninja were all over the village looking for you. It was midnight when I was searching near a cave blocked by a rock. I heard you scream, but couldn't figure out where it had come from. I neared the cave more. You screamed again and I pushed the rock out of the way and ran to the sounds of grunting, whimpering, and slashing."

"It pissed me off on a whole new level. Before I could stop myself I took all my anger out on him. He deserved it though... How are you feeling?"

"Well sore and... wet?" I looked at the bandages where the wound would have been. I didn't freak out. Or at least I tried not to.

I took a few deep breaths, crossed my legs indian style. and foucused my chakra on healing that one wound. I felt the pain subside, and stop gushing like it was.

"You should rest. You went through a lot."

"Yeah... But I might as well get used to it. It won't be the last time something like this happens. It may not be for the same reason as last night, but people want what I will do anything to get it. I may as well get use to it now rather than later when I know it'll happen again."

He stared at me for a moment. "You're the most mature 13 year old i've ever met. You learn quick when it's only you and it's for your survival. Not many your age would have figured it out and learned to cope with it so fast."

"What can I say? being kidnapped by the Akasuki can make you see things bright and clear. Has anyone come to see me while I was out?"

"Yes, Rika and Yukii have come to see you just about every minute of visiting hours."

"Well it's not obviously every minute of visiting hours since it's only you here."

"Yes, but I didn't say it was visiting hours right now did I?"

"So, you're not suppose to be technically? so why are you here?"

"Well... I don't know exactly. Maybe I just needed away from all the noise. I needed some quiet time, but didn't nesisarily eant to spend it alone... Plus I don't know if your stalker had any friends that shared the same interest of you."

"Hn..." I got up ignoring my bodys protests of pain.

"What are you doing?"

"About to walk home. I don't like hospitals, they smell like sickness, birth, and death. I'm not a big fan of them at all."

He climbed into the room and put her back on the bed. "You're not going anywhere until you're healed got it?"

I crossed my arms irritated. "Fine."

**~~Authors note!~~**

**Okay I'm just going to write the chapters as I go along. please go ahead and vote! I won't be able to upload anything for the next week or so, because i'm going to church camp! yaay my very first time! So until monday or so, no third chapter. but please vote, comment, and please become a fan! to be continued my little gummy bears!**


	3. Escorting Strangers to the sea!

It had been a week since I had gotten out of the hospital. Guess what we were stuck doing for missions since then. We've chased cats, picked up trash, tended to gardens, and more boring things. I was fed up!

We walked into dad's office and I was ready to put up a fight.

"Good news! I have a very important mission for all of you. You will be escorting Matika and Taroma to the land of the mist and escorted to the sea. They will be picked up on a ship there. All you need to do is escort them." He ended with a smile.

I practically jumped around and danced on the inside, but I totally kept my cool on the outside.

"It's about time!"

A man opened the door and poked his head through. "Um, do you have our escorts?"

He looked like a kind old man. 50's maybe can't really tell. He had Graying hair, a short dude one might say he was only a little taller than I am, he had some teeth missing, and had bags under his eyes like he hadn't had any sleep lately.

"Yes, we have your escorts. Just give them all time to pack their supplies and you will be on your way in no time"

"Yes, yes alright. You will meet us at the front gates. yes that'll work. Okay see you then!"

He closed the door and left us in an akward silence. Teehee a gay baby was born!

"So... He seemed to be in a hurry. Did he tell you any spacific reasons why they wanted to be escorted?" I asked.

"Just they wanted to be safe from any sudden attacks from robbers or someone looking for trouble. Nothing spacific." Naruto answered.

"Well isn't that odd." Kakashi said out of nowhere. "Well team you all have one hour to pack a bag and meet at the front gates. See you then!" he poofed away.

I had packed my things and was only a little ways from the gates. Turns out I was the first to show up besides Matika and Taroma.

Toroma was a boy with very feminen features, he had brown eyes, pale skin, a small figure, looks as if he hadn't worked a day in his life, um 16 or 17 years old. I could tell right off the bat that he was definatley a she. There seemed to be more to their story than what they said.

Well i'd just have to see how this mission goes... Maybe they will tell us the truth along the way.

We had been walking for a few hours now. We just passed the border line.

I had a strange instinct we were being followed. I stopped and turned to my left, and stared at the bush were I felt eyes staring at me. A fox poked it's head out and blinked at me. I tilted my head.

"Are you my queen?" It asked in my head.

"Please leave." I spoke back.

"We need to talk. Please. Tell me you are the queen."

"I am on a mission right now... Look when I come back I will talk with you. I can't right now. Find the Leaf Village. I will meet you there." I commanded.

It nodded and left.

"Hiaru! Come on you're falling behind!" Rika called from ahead.

"Coming!"

I ran towards them. I walked in the same pace as Toroma. I whispered so sonly he/she could hear.

"Why are you disguising yourself?"

He/she side glanced at me. "So it was that obvious huh?"

"No. infact you pulled off the guy look very well. I just have a certain instinct for this kind of thing. So why the disguise?"

"I... Can I trust you?"

"Yes. You can trust me. Your life is in my hands and I will protect it as long as we r on this mission."

"We'll talk tonight. When things are more private."

"Agreed."

Matika stopped. "Can we rest for a little while? I don't think I could go much farther without rest."

We all nodded and sat down. Matika layed down and took a nap. Toroma just sat quietly and stared into space.

I stood up and looked around.

"What's wrong?" Yukii asked.

"It's too quiet. Even the wind isn't blowing." I activated my byakugan and saw two people watching us. "I see you. Come out and state your buisness."

The figures shuffled and ran away. "Tch wimps."

I deactivated byakugan. "We need to start moving."

Kakashi ended up carrying Matika on his back. We were all in a daimond around Toroma. Kakashi in the front, Rika on Toroma's left, Yukii behind her, and me to her right.

I still felt like we were being followed, and by that feeling I felt like I was being stared at.

I looked at a random bush and saw more foxes. Great my fan people are foxes. Peachy! she says with sarcasim dripping like melted icecream.

We were almost there, we had to get across The Great Naruto bridge first though. Ya my dad did tell me that story once or twice.

We were like ten feet onto the bridge when kunai flew at us. I grabbed Toroma and dodged easily. When it landed it had a paper bomb. I grabbed her again and jumped back. That was my mistake. Everyone else jumped forward.

A big gap tore through the bridge. Toroma and I on the side with the enemy, and the others on the other side. It was too big to jump across, even with our ninja skils. If one would throw someone with enough force then they would be able to get across though.

I turned towards the enemy. I put Toroma behind me not going down without a fight. I kept thinking about the throw. I could get her across, but I would have to stay behind. They would never leave unless I died here.

Well at least I'd die honorably. I grabbed Toroma by the arm swung her in many circles until I got a good speed, and threw her over the thresh hold. Yukii caught her and skidded back a few feet.

"Hiaru!" Rika called.

I didn't answer. I stared at the biggest guy, looked like the leader, he had two people with him but they wore masks.

"If you hadn't done that I might have spared your life. Bad choice little girl."

He unseathed a very large sword. I crouched down and reached for a kunai, ready to run and attack.

"Hiaru!" I heard the panic in Kakashi's voice. He didn't want one of his students dying this early in the game.

Trust me I knew very well I was no match for a chunin, but I wasn't just gonna sit back while he killed me.

We ran towards eachother and the fight had begun. I was able to dodge the sword, but behind every swing was a punch or a kick. I just gave up using wepons and used his chakra points. I activated byakugan and tried my best.

There was a point when we pushed the other a few feet away. We were both breathing hard, and I hurt everywhere. He looked out of breath.

"I have to say... you're pretty good for a kid. Not good enough though."

He lunged for me with his sword pointed to me. I jumped on it ran up and kicked him square in the face. It knocked him back a good ten feet. He was back on the grass.

I finally remembered the other two standing there watching us. One of them looked nervous. His whole body language said "Oh my god" repetedly. What was he so worried about?

The big guy got up and he looked pissed. There was blood leaking from his nose, and his face was red.

"Ready to die?"

Before I could move an inch he was in front of me, his sword plunged in my stomach. I felt waves of pain wash over me. My eyes widened, and I think I gasped. I couldn't quite make sence of things at the time.

The big guy got pulled away, as I started the nervous dude caught me layed me down. I heard him sayi in a paniced voice "Oh my god! Hiaru! Can you hear me? Hiaru?"

He unzipped my jacket and lifted my shirt so he could see the wound. I finally saw his eyes from behind the mask, because they were so wide. Gray. Like mine.

I found the strength to lift my hand and pull the mask off. I groaned at the sight of his face and tears began to spill from my eyes.

"Tamaki?" I whispered.

Tears formed in his eyes as well.

"Hiaru it's okay I'll save you. I will I-" He began to ball.

He pulled himself together and green chakra glowed from his hands. He put them to my wound.

"Just hold on. Just hold on." He repeated constantly.

I felt my eyes grow heavey. I was suddenly really tired. Myabe I could just take a short nap. I began to close my eyes when Tamaki shouted at me.

"HIARU DON'T YOU DARE CLOSE YOUR EYES. YOU HAVE TO STAY CONSIOUS! OKAY? PLEASE. PLEASE!" Tears ran down his face, and he was trembling.

I opened my eyes and stared up at the sky. Everything had gotten cloudy and It was starting to rain.

"Tamaki! What is wrong with you! why are you healing the enemy?"

"SHE'S MY SISTER YOU STUPID BASTARD!"

I felt the wound begin to close but not fast enough. I had lost a lot of blood already. I didn't think I was going to make it.

I didn't mean to but I closed my eyes and everything went black. the last thing I heard was Tamaki yelling at me again. "HIARU STAY AWAKE! HIARU? HIARU! NOOOOOOO!"

I fell asleep. I don't think I died. because I still felt my heart beating. Very faintly and really slow, but still beating. I felt a warm sensation from my lower back, and then nothing.

~~ Yukii's POV.~~

The guy with blue spikey hair healing Hiaru screamed no. I knew at that moment she had just died.

"Hiaru? HIARU!" Rika screamed.

I couldn't take my eye's off her still body. She had stopped bleeding, so I asumed she was dead. Hiaru... dead?... no...No!...NO NO NO NO NO! Tears escaped my eyes. Tears of sadness suddenly became tears of anger.

The man jumped back when she moved. She did more than move, she got up. A red aura surrounded her. Her eyes were still closed, so I couldn't see if it was really her or not. She grew a fox tail and ears. She opened her eyes, and they were just not her. Hiaru was pure! she was that red glow that lead a person out of the dark, she was good! This? This wasn't her.

She crouched so she was on all fours. She looked like a wild animal. Her teeth had grown into fangs, and her nails to claws. She hissed like a fox and growled at the enemy.

The man, Tamaki if I heard right watched her carefully.

"Hiaru? Hiaru calm down. It's okay. hey you're okay." he slowly aproached her. She snarled and jumped away from him.

"So you're a demon? well this will be much more fun!" the big guy said.

He started walking toward her, but Tamaki stood between them.

"You stay the hell away from her. Or else I will kill you without a second thought."

He looked serious. So this is the big brother she had ben missing half of her life. No wonder she missed him.

Hiaru growled at them both. She turned and jumped over to our side with one leap. and jumped up on the bars and cables holding the bridge together. She hissed at all of us. Matika had waken up and he and Toroma were staring at her with shocked expressions.

I jumped up and used cables to get to where she was. She growled at me and slashed her hand in the air. A sign I took as don't come any closer. I took slow steps toward her.

"Hey Hiaru! Ya doin okay?" She hissed and took a step back. "It's okay. It's okay. I'm your friend. Do you remember me?" I squatted until we were eye to eye. we were still a good five feet apart. "I'm Yukii. Remember me? We went to the academy together?"

Recognition flashed across her face and just as quick as it had been there it was gone. She growled at me again. I jumped to her and wrapped her in a hug. She bit my shoulder her fangs digging into my skin, and her claws peirced my arms and chest.

"Shhh. It's okay. It's okay. I'm here. I'm here. You're safe." I whispered to her.

I felt her claws retract and turn to normal. She pulled her teeth from my shoulder, and the ears, the tail, and the dark aura dissapeared. Her body went limp, and her head rested on my chest.

I breathed in relief, and picked her up marrige style and jumped down with the others.

"That was very brave of you son. You did well." My dad said. He too looked relieved.

I looked to the other side of the bridge and saw no one there. The enemy had fled. That man will pay for hurting her. The one I hold closest to my heart.

Apearently dad knew some people here and would ask for a place to stay for the next few days. When we got there a man greeted us and welcomed us to stay.

"I want all of you to rest a bit. We've all had a rough day."

Sometime along the short walk Hiaru put her arms around my neck. I was trying to put her on her matt, but she wouldn't let go of my neck. In fact she pulled me closer. There was only an inch from our faces. I blushed as I studied her eyelashes. So bold and thick. She didn't even need makeup to make them stand out.

"What are you doing?" I jumped at Rika's voice.

"S-she won't let go! um help?"

She smiled evily "Nope you can do that on your own. Why don't you just lay down with her? I'm sure you'd enjoy it since you're enjoying it so much right now!"

I blushed harder. "Will you shut up snd help me pry her arms off of my neck?"

"Duck you're head through."

I pulled down and only ended faceplanting in the 'chest area' I pushed back up blushing so hard my face hurt. Rika just laughed and I heard my dad giggle a little too.

"Would you two just dhut up and help me!"

"Why? You two look so cute! It's about time you look for a girlfriend anyways." my dad said trying to stop laughing.

"I think I agree with Kakashi sensei on this." Rika said giggling.

"Please!"

"Okay. Okay." He walked to us and pulled her arms straight and I fell backwards. He let her go and she curled up hugging the pillow instead of my head.

The three of us walked out of the room and as soon as I shut it they both burst out laughing. Rika was on the floor laughing so hard tears escaped her eyes. I glared at them walked to the next room and slamed the door shut.

~~ Hiaru's POV~~

I sat up. Very aware that I was not in my house. Wait. I'm on a mission. Oh wait I remember now! I pulled my shirt up to examine my stomach. Nothing was there. Not even a scar. Weird.

I got up and walked out of the room to explore. I walked down the staircase to the smell of food. I walked into a dining room where my teamates, the two we protected, and a man and woman. Both of which I didn't recegnize.

"Ah you got up just in time for dinner. I honestly didn't think you'd be up and moving so early." Kakashi greeted me.

I didn't respond. I just sat down next to Yukii who blushed for a split second then it dissapeared. I proped my elbows on the table and put my face in my hands.

"Please explain why I feel so drained and irritated." I said in a annoyed tone.

"You don't remember?" Toroma asked.

"I remember almost dying, my brother, and then nothing. What happened?"

Everyone got quiet and looked down. avoiding my eyes.

"Um why don't we introduce our selves" The man said.

"This is my wife Nara, and I'm Inari."

"Nice to meet you I'm Hiaru."

"Well" Nara said when she sat down plates. "Everyone dig in!"

I ate my food quickly and without breathing a word. I got up and put my dishes in the sink.

"Would you mind if I used your shower?" I asked trying to be nice.

"Oh it's no problem honey. I'll show you it." she began to get up.

"Oh no it's fine I passed it on my way down. You don't have to show me it. Thank you."

I quickly walked back up the steps grabbed a random shirt and shorts from my bag and hurried to the bathroom.

I showered, got dressed, and blow dried my long hair. So it all took about an hour, most of that time just to blow dry my hair. I walked back to my room and fell asleep.

When I woke up I smelt the wonderful smell of pancakes! i got up put my jacket on and walked to the dining room. I sat down at the farest end of the table, still half asleep.

"Good morning Hiaru. How are you feeling this morning?" Nara asked all bright and cheery.

"Morning. Good I guess. Tired. How bout you."

"I'm well. One of your friends, Toroma I think left just a minute ago. He went to the market to buy some eggs for me."

That snapped me out of my sleep trance.

"Um which way is the market?"

"Oh it's just a little ways from here. that way." She pointed in a direction.

"Thank you I think I'm going to go catch up with her- uh him. See ya later!"

I got up put my shoes on and walked out the door before she could say anything. I caught up with her in a matter of minutes. She didn't move very fast.

"So. How 'bout you tell me what this is really about?" I said walking into pace with her.

"Well for one my real name is Morota, I am to be the next princess in a land across the sea. Many people don't want the specific land to grow anymore powerful than it already is. So people want to kill me to prevent the land from living anylonger. Matika is really Tamika he's my guardian. Raised me since we left the kindom to come here."

"You should have told my father before he asigned you to us. This calls for a rank A mission. It was a foolish move for you and Tamika. I need to tell the others."

"No please don't! that might attract more attention."

"You're already a giant target in a field. You've been spotted. Whoever wants you dead already knows you're here. Attention is already drawn. Now all we can do is figure out a plan to get you to your ship safely."

"O-okay."

"What kind of eggs did Nara want?"

"Organic."

"Well let's go shopping." I said as we entered the store.

We arrived back at the house in no time. The eggs were cooking and everyone sat patiently at the table. I needed something to do so I went into the kitchen to help Nara.

I cooked omlets while she did the pancakes. I finally noticed her very large stomach. Pregnant. I thought.

"You really know how to cook! your mother teach you?" she asked breaking the silence.

"No. My grandmother taught me when I was little. Throughout the years I've taught myself. Burned some things, perfected dishes."

"Where was your mother?"

"She died the night I was born."

"Oh... I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have asked. I'm always curious about things."

"It's fine don't worry about it. May I ask what names you have picked out for yours?" I gestured at her stomach.

She smiled and looked down at her bulging stomach. "We havn't quite gotten that far with it yet."

"Hm. well it looks like all the eggs are done!"

"Pancakes as well!"

"Food's coming!"

I heard quiet yays mumble themselves around the table. I carried most of the plates to the table to save Nara some energy. She seemed to tire out very easily, as i've observed. We both took the leftover seats and ate quietly.

"Since you've all grown exeptionaly I've decided to teach you how to climb trees."

We all stared at him dumbfounded. "I don't mean the normal way you would climb trees. You will see what I mean after breakfast."

Yukii, Rika, and I all nodded. Morota and Tamika just looked confused.

"Um where will we go?" Morota asked.

"Well you would come with us and watch. I wouldn't trust leaving you two unprotected. From happened at the bridge, you aren't safe under any circumstances." I said looking at Morota.

She shifted unconfortably under my stare. I looked at my food, a little more than half had been eaten.

"If you'll excuse me. I'm not very hungry this morning."

I picked up my plate, put it in the sink, and walked up the stairs. I put my hair up in pigtails tied with black ribbons, I put my headband around my neck, and put my shoes on. I jumped out the window and walked around outside.

"So we just walk up the tree? that's it? This might be easier than i thought." I said. I have very good chakra control.

"We'll see about that. It's best to get a running start. Use kunai to mark how far you've gotten."

Kakashi said go and we all ran to our choice of trees. I ran at mine and stepped on it. I ran up it in a flash. Woops! didn't mean to go that far.

Kakashi stared up at me. being on a very thin point of the tree seeing how far up I was and parallel to the ground I found it hard to keep my body in one direction. I walked down to a lower portion of the tree, and sat on the trunk and watched Yukii and Rika.

Both were doing so well Rika was giving too much and Yukii wasn't giving enough chakara. I hadn't even noticed it but I had byakugan activated.

"Hold on. Where's Hiaru?" Yukii stopped and looked around.

Rika did the same. I decided to have a little fun with this. I jumped very stelthly along the trees. until I was closer to Yukii. I jumped down and landed on his back piggyback style. He yelped in suprise.

"Haha. Gotch ya!" I jumped off his back and turned him so he would face me. "OKay the reason you can't climb this tree is your not putting enough into it. Just a little bit more chakara and you'll have it." I turned to Rika who was just recovering from her laugh attack. "Rika back off of the chakara a bit. Not darastically, but just a step ok? that's my advice for you two."

I walked back up my tree and sat on the trunk. I watched as they had decided to ingore what I said at first, but soon realizing that I was right they did what I told and a few tries later bam! they're both at the top of their trees.

We were all just about to leave when it occured to me that I should tell mmy team about Morota.

"Hey guys! Um before we go I think Toroma would like to explain a few things to the rest of you."

They all stopped and looked at me then at Morota. She sighed. "I knew you were going to do something soon. Well might as well get things over with.-" Morota explained to everyone what she had already told me so I won't repeat it.

"You should have told the Hokage the tru-" Morota cut him off.

"Yes I know I already had this lecture from Hiaru. I don't need it a second time. I realized our mistake. I'm sorry I was foolish enough to do that."

Kakashi sent a glance my way. One that told me ha'd known that womething was up from the beggining.

"We need to come up with a plan." Kakashi said.

"Well you're lucky you have a blond student who already has a plan to launch." I said smiling. "Okay so here's the plan-"

Today was the day we had to get Morota and Tamika on that ship before it left. I had a very bad feeling that I was going to face my brother again.

I had created three clones of my self. One was going to sneak Morota and Tamika on the ship while the other two and I were distracting them. Along with the rest of my team. One of my clones was discuised as Tamika and the other Morota. And well I was me. Full on me.

The group stood between us and the ship. not that it mattered. My clone would be guiding them to the ship safely.

The true leader of the operation stepped to the front. He grinned when he saw me.

"What a beautiful creature before me. A jinjuraki, worth millions to the Akasuki. perhaps you would be a good girl and hand yourself and Princess Morota to us and I might consider sparing your friends." He smiled at me.

I glared at him. I pulled out a kunai. "Kakashi sensei?" I asked waiting for orders.

"Formation C!" he said.

I had no idea what I was doing but somehow we all worked in ways that helped eachother. We worked as an amazing team.

It came down to everyone, but five being on the floor either unconsious or dead. Of those five were my brother, the leader, the um second in comand? i guess, and two other guys.

The clone leading Morota and Tamika to the ship had gotten them on the ship and was explaining to the captin that they needed to leave quickly. The captain was getting the sailors to work and the engines running. Now all we needed to do is keep the enemy occupied, and defeat them.

We all stood there waiting for someone to make a move. The curiousity was killing me. Why would my brother join rouges? I thought he was killed. I have to admit. I was extremly angry.

"Tamaki. Why did you join these people? Why didn't you ever come home? Write? They told us that you were killed! WHY WOULD YOU ABANDON YOUR FATHER AND LITTLE SISTER!"

"I-I don't know. My team abandon me. A boulder fell on me. The ground I was on was hollow, when it fell it broke the ground and pushed me into a cave. I eventualy found my way out, but my team had already left. I was alone. Gachima here took me in and raised me. It's not like father had any time for us anyways."

"Some father if he let his daughter get kidnapped by the Akasuki. Did he even care? If he did I don't think you'd be here. You'd be protected by ANBU or something. You'd-"

"SHUT THE HELL UP! I choose my own path. He cried when I came home. He was worried to death! He was depressed for years after we heard you died. YEARS! It was hard on us both! I tried so hard to take care of the both of us, and all this time you were thinking we didn't care? YOU'RE SUCH A SELFISH ASSHOLE!"

Everyone was stunned. Even the leader, Gachima. Gachima's eyes were wide. The rest of them just gave blank stares. Tamaki looked many things. Shock, guilt, shame, saddness, and sorrow.

"That's all I wanted to know. If I'm as heartless as you say, then I guess I should act the part."

A red aura surounded me. I felt my temperature rise as the temperature around me dropped. Gachima smirked and pulled a giant sword about as thick as I was and stuck it in the floor.

"I call the blond. What do you say? Hiaru? Take me on or too scared?"

"No. Hiaru don't leave him to me. Just distract the others that's it. Don't fight Gachima." Kakashi ordered.

I heard the ship's horn and it started to pull away from the harbor. The clones disguised as Morota and Tamika started to freak out, still playing the part. Apearently we all are good actors, because we all started to "freak" and say things like we're too late. We totally had them fooled!

I tried to push the red hot power back down, but it wasn't going down without a fight. I finally fought it down and stared my brother down.

"Sorry Gachima. I have a score to settle with my brother."

Kakashi looked to Yukii. "Yukii, take Morota and Tamika to the ship. Hurry!"

Yukii nodded. He grabbed my clones by the hand and started running. The enemy tried to interfear, but rika held the two ninja back, Kakashi blocked Gachima, and I blocked Tamaki.

I hadn't payed much attention to Kakashi or Rika's fights. I was determind to find out what Tamaki was hidding. For one, he freaked at the bridge when he thought I was going to die. Two, he was always nice and selfless. We would spend so much time together, and his friends loved me too. He was always nice.

One time I followed him all around the village. He wasn't making an act just because I was around. He was just a naturally kind person. "Just like your mother" My dad would always tell him.

Once we began close combat fighting I began to talk to him. "So what's the real reason?"

He didn't look suprised. "He found me unconsious in the cave and forced me to join. He would've killed me if I haddn't agreed. I'm sorry."

"It's okay. I understand why you lied. So why are you trying to kill Morota?"

"Because we were payed too. Everything I'm forced to do in this stupid group is just for money. Someone doesn't want her to become the leader of the country she's going to. I don't know why. Damn, you've gotten strong squirt."

We pushed eachother backwards. Both breathing hard. We hadn't marked eathother, but we didn't want to hurt eachother. Just wanted to talk.

"I don't want to fight you. You can still come back you know. You can come back with us."

"Not that easy. I've gained a reputation. I can't erase my mistakes, I chose my path. Sorry I can't go back, but I will change this group. I will become the leader of this group and only kill for the right reasons."

I was going to say something back when something was thrown at me. When I stopped skidding on the concrete I looked and was staring into my sensei's hair. I wiggled out from under him. He was wounded badly, but that wasn't going to stop him. Gachima was walking towards us, his sword caked with my sensei's blood.

"Sure you wouldn't consider fighting me?"

I looked at Kakashi who's eyes pleaded me not to agree, then I looked at the sword. I activated byakugan and got up. Kakashi grabbed my ankle, but I pulled away. I smirked, trying to put on a brave confident face.

"Fine. Would you prefer the demon side? or me? either way I'm going to kill you, so pick."

"Oh ho? Tough words, but can you back it up? Show me what you got."

We both charged at the other. I only used byakugan and his chakra points at first, then I was able to get some punches and kicks in. Rika was soon by my side fighting with me. We both used some demon power. I grew ears and a tail, and we both grew fangs and claws. She was surrounded by a dark blue aura. I was covered in a red aura.

We clawed, bit, and burned with our chakara. Both of us were fighting like, well like animals. He sliced us with his sword, but we just couldn't stop. I suddenly yearned for his blood to spill. I wanted to feel the blood on my claws drip down and drop to the ground.

Wait. No this isn't me. It's the demon talking. No. No I don't want that. I need to stop. I won't let it take over. No. I need to stop. STOP!

Just as I was about to rip his heart out I froze. Regaining control of my body I jumped backwards away from him. I fought for the beast to go back in. My whole body felt like it was on fire. and pulling it in just made it burn worse. In a minute I was back to my normal self.

Rika was still attacking him. I ran to her. She snarled and backed away from me when I neared her. Gachima was unconsious, if not dead. So. This is what I looked like a few days ago huh? I have to admit it isn't pretty.

I slowly walked closer to her. She growled at me, I growled back. Showing that we were equals. I got on all fours and crouched so it looked like I was sitting down like an animal would.

"Rika. This isn't you. Just calm down. I know it's hard, but you have to try to control it."

The aura started to flicker and for a moment I saw Rika, then she turned back into the animal. I scooted closer to her.

"Rika. Do you recegnize me? I'm Hiaru. Your best friend. We grew up together. We know just about everything about eachother. We're friends."

The full Rika came back. The aura faded away and she was back to normal. Even her wolf ears and tail had dissapeared.

"Well that had gotten out of hand. Was I the only one that went crazy?"

"No. I just relized quicker. We both took it a little far."

"No kidding." Kakashi had gotten up and was limping to us. "You pretty much destroyed the docks, and the enemy. Tamaki escaped though. So. Did we succeed?"

My clone said mission acomplished and poofed away. "Yeah, they're safe and on their way."

All my clones poofed away, along with most of my "normal" chakara. Yukii came to us hopping on floating boards and other debries that'd flown into the water.

"Dang! You two trashed this place! I saw your chakra from all the way over there. what happened?"

"Doesn't matter." I sighed. "Besides I don't really remember what happened. Or how long we were fighting. Hey does that mean we can go home now?"

Kakashi smiled. "Yes. Mission acomplished. We have to go home. But maybe after a few days of rest, then we can begin on our journey home."

"Sounds good to me!" Rika said and stretched.

"Yeah. Let's go already."

The walk back to Inari's was Yukii practically carrying Kakashi sensei, Rika and I supporting eachother, and me leaning on Yukii to stay up straight. He seemed to blush at moments when I would catch him staring at me.

When we got there I think Nara was going to have a heart attack. We all went to our rooms, and I colapsed on the floor. I didn't feel like making the matt at the moment. I was tired and just wanted to sleep. And sure enough I was asleep in 5 seconds flat. judging on my dreams i'm wondering just how messed up I really am.


	4. I Destroy a Hot Spring and Inn

We only stayed at Inari's for a few days. Just until Kakashi could walk normally, and we got more strength.

"Oh don't worry we're not done yet. I have a surprise for all of you." Kakashi said after we left.

What surprise? I hate surprises because then I don't know what's going to happen. We walked away from the mist and took a turn. turn? I don't remember any turns when we came here.

"Um senei Wher-"

"Don't worry we're almost there. Just a little farther."

In a matter of minutes a building came into view. As we got closer I could read the sign at the top of it. It read _Hot Springs and Inn_. I almost jumped for joy. Heck yes we are going to a hot spring!

"Surprise! We'll be staying here for three days. A reward for your hard work and completing a rank A mission. Plus I think our muscles could use the hot water."

We all nodded in agreement and walked inside. Rika and I bunked together, and Kakashi and Yukii bunked. I practically ran to the hot spring. Rika was right behind me. We stopped and made sure we were the only people in it.

Since we were the only ones there we jumped into the steaming water. Rika and I tackled each other trying to dunk the other.

"WILL YOU TWO PLEASE STOP!" A very Yukii sounding voice yelled from behind the wall.

"Aww. Are you jealous that you can't have as much fun as we are?" I taunted.

A rock came sailing from over the wall and hit me in the head. I picked up a rock and threw it back. I heard a thonk and a yell of pain. That started the rock fight. Which was ended when Kakashi finally lost his cool.

"EVERYONE STOP THROWING ROCKS AT EACH OTHER! THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE RELAXING AND YOU'RE RUINING IT."

Rika and I obeyed and sat down in the water silently. At some point Rika got out and went back to the room or something. Leaving me alone in the spring.

"Hey Yukii, Kakashi, you guys still there?" I yelled.

I got no answer so I took that as the costs clear. I began singing what hurts the most. I don't know how long I was in there, but I eventually started to get dizzy and got out. I had put my clothes back on and was walking to the Inn's diner.

Turns out Yukii had the same idea. He was sitting in a booth staring at a menu. I sat across from him and propped my elbows on the table.

"So what looks good?"

He glanced from the menu to me and back. "Depends what you're in the mood for. Ramen, rice, taryaki chicken, and some other things."

"Hm. let me see it when you're done."

"Yeah. Hey... Um. Never mind."

"What?"

"Nothing."

"It's obviously something. You can tell me. Come on what is it?"

"Well... I just wanted to say you're a very good singer."

"Say huh?"

"I heard you singing in the hot springs. I- I thought it was very beautiful."

I blushed. "Um. Yeah. I didn't know you were listening. Did anyone else hear?"

"Just my dad and me. He left somewhere in the middle, but I stayed until you finished. You could really go into a career with the voice you have."

"Heh. Yeah right. I hardly think I could go that far with it."

"I think you could. In all honesty I really think you could become famous in a singing career."

I smiled sheepishly. "Uh. Thanks. I guess I'll keep that in mind as a plan B. in case something happens or something... Hey are you done with that menu yet?"

I plucked the menu from him and hit my beet red face behind it. What can I say? I'm embarrassed. In singing I've always been a little shy. Darn it! I really hate this. I can't freaking help it!

My face finally cooled down, and I chose my order. I handed the menu to Yukii who plucked it away as I had done to him. I stuck my tongue at him, and he stuck it right back.

I ordered a plate of spaghetti and apparently Yukii had the same idea. I wish he would stop copying my damn thoughts. I don't like it when people are in my head.

In a few moments we were brought our drinks. I got Dr. Pepper and Yukii got Pepsi. And for what seemed like forever sitting in silence our food finally came. I didn't wast time. The second the plate was on the table I was scarfing it down.

Somehow a string of my spaghetti got on Yukii's plate and we so happened to pick it up in our fork full of noodles at the same time. We both slurped at the same time. I finally noticed what was happening when we were face to face. Both of us blushing. I bit the noodle cutting it off there, and looked down.

I really wanted to pretend that had never happened.

I glanced up at him, and the ass was smirking. Oh damn it. he's not going to let that go is he?

Yukii had finished his plate, I was still getting to that point. He started eating off my plate, and purposely did the noodle thing again. I stopped slurping the noodle and glared at him. I felt my face start to heat up. He got to where he was almost touching my lips and cut it off and pulled back. Smirking harder now.

I pulled the remaining noodle from my mouth, and sat back and glared at him.

"What? You seemed to enjoy it."

I opened my mouth to say something, but no words came to mind. Had I really enjoyed that? Damn teenage hormones.

I sighed and left the dining area. I was almost out when two drunk guys blocked my path.

"Hey cutie, where you going?" the one on the right said.

"Yeah. Why don't you join us? We have plenty of room."

I huffed and glared at them. "I'm going to ask nicely. Move out of my way so I can leave."

"Aw, and what are you going to do about it?" The one on the right said and grabbed my arm.

The whole kidnapping stalker incident flashed in my mind. And I acted without thinking.

"What will I do? I'll do this!" I kicked him where the sun don't shine.

The other guy tried to punch me, and I was going to catch it. But Yukii beat me to it. The guy tried to punch Yukii with his other fist. Yukii caught that one and kicked him in the stomach, and kneed him in the face.

The guy I kicked got up and was going for a punch, but Yukiicaught it kicked him in the face and got both of them on the ground with their hands behind their backs.

"I believe you owe her an apology."

They both said it in shaky breaths. Yukii leaned down so he was closer to their ears.

I heard him whisper. "If you ever lay your eyes on her again. I will personally tear them out and make you eat them. Am I understood?" They both nodded hard.

Yukii let them go and they ran out of the diner. Even I was a little scared by this. I had never seen Yukii so... angry.

He turned to me. "You okay?"

"Yeah. I don't think you really had to go that far with it."

"Hn. I just got angry. I just don't want the whole kidnapped by a stalking perv thing to happen again. Especially with you."

I blushed slightly. "Thanks anyways. Um. I'm going to go find Rika. See you."

I walked as quickly away as I could without running. Knowing Rika she was probably in the forest near by somewhere. I walked outside and wandered a little ways from the building.

"Rika!" I called.

Soon a black wolf appeared from some bushes. I knew right away it was Rika. She often liked to be in wolf form more than human form. She could change size and change into any type of wolf she wanted.

Since she has a different seal than I do. She has more access to her wolf demon than I do my fox demon. I'm still progressing in that area.

"Have you been out here the entire time?"

She nodded and spoke telepathically in my mind. "Yes, you should know by now that I would be out here."

"Yeah I knew. I just didn't know if you were out here the entire time or not. I knew you were out here most of the time."

"Did something happen? Something looks off. You look like you're nervous or something."

Damn, I hated how she knew how to read me. "Oh nothing much. Just had dinner with Yukii and then he saved my butt from two drunk guys. Same old same old."

"Something happened with the dinner with Yukii. didn't it?"

"Why do you say that?"

"Because that is the only reason to explain why you're acting so funny. What happened"

I sighed. "Nothing. He was just being an ass. That's all."

"Uh huh. Sure. What ever you say."

I sat down making us almost eye to eye. "So what have you been doing lately?"

"Nothing much. Just my normal thing. Exploring, chasing things, sleeping."

"Hm. Okay. Well I'm tired I'm going to bed. See you at breakfast."

"Okay. Bye." She walked away.

I knew she wouldn't come back to the room. She stayed in the forest as much as possible. She normally slept out there too.

I walked to our room, changed into a white tank and light blue shorts with swirls on them. I snuggled myself into the mat and fell asleep.

I zombie walked to the dining area for breakfast. When I woke up I just threw on purple shorts and a black tank top. My hair was in it's usual ponytails, and of course I had black boots on.

I spotted Kakashi and Yukii in a booth. I slid next to Kakashi, remembering last night. I don't think I want to make any unnecessary contact with Yukii for a while.

He was just teasing me. Jerk. It's not like he actually likes me or anything... Yeah. He just did it to make me uncomfortable.

I picked up the menu Kakashi had pushed my way. Hm. Well anything looks good. Grr why do they make all the food sound so good? sigh.

I didn't even have to look to know Yukii was staring at me. "STOP STARING AT ME! I CAN FEEL YOUR EYES LIKE FREAKING NEEDLES!" but I only said that in my head so no one heard it but me.

A waiter came to the table to take our order. I decided to go with a fried egg and bacon, and to drink: coffee!

Yukii glanced at me then back to the waiter. "I'll have the same as the lady."

He nodded and got Kakashi's order. I glared at Yukii and he smirked right back.

Why did he have to be so god damn hot? If teenage hormones were a person I would demolish her. Well I think it would be a girl. Guess it depends on the gender. Why am I talking about this in my head? Hiaru shut up!

"I'm sensing some tension in the air around you Hiaru. Anything wrong?" Kakashi said glancing at me from behind his porno book.

"Oh. Good morning Hiaru. Did you sleep well last night? Yes I did Kakashi sensei, How did you sleep? Is it too much to ask?"

Kakashi sweat dropped and Yukii face palmed.

"What? Isn't that what people normally say when they see someone in the morning?"

"Okay okay. I surrender." Kakashi said raising his hands in surrender.

Rika plopped down next to Yukii and yawned.

"Mornin' guys." She said.

"See? Mornin'. Sleep good?"

"Yup. You?"

"Good. And that boys was a proper morning greeting."

Kakashi sighed and went back to his book. Yukii stuck his tongue out at me. I stuck mine back.

The waiter came back with our coffees, and took rika's order.

"Um, can I just get a glass of milk?"

"Coming right up." He walked away.

"Hey Rika." Yukii asked.

"What?"

"Do you ever eat? I mean I've only seen you eat a little bit at Inari's."

"Yeah, I eat."

"Do you eat much?"

"Yes. Squirrels, rabbits, badgers, things that a wolf would eat."

"... Why?"

"Because I can. I already had breakfast this morning, and I thought I should at least make myself known to still be here."

"Remind me to never ask you about your eating habits ever again."

"Hey you asked. Serves you right for being nosey."

The waiter came back with a tray of food and Rika's milk. I ate and still felt his eyes on me. I fought to ignore him, and ate as fast as I could. I drained my coffee and left without a word.

I walked outside and walked around for a while. Eventually I found a river and sat there to rest.

"Why does he keep teasing me like that? So hot yet so annoying." I sighed gazing into the water.

I heard someone coming towards me. I could sense their chakara. It seemed so distantly familiar, and I just couldn't place who it belonged to. It was two people. I could tell that. I turned to look.

At the first sight of those red eyes and the guy next to him with the shark-like features. I jumped to my feet, my guard shooting past the meter.

I felt my eyes activate. I had my body ready to attack or run if needed.

"What the hell are you doing here?"

"Looking for you. You've grown exceptionally well."

"Yeah, no kidding. Pervs won't leave me the hell alone. I kick their asses though, so it's not a big deal." Yeah Yeah. I know I lied. Hey you never know sometimes a bluff can save your life.

"Make this easier for everyone, and come with us willingly. It would make less of a mess."

"Have you seen my family tree? I'm an Uzumaki. I don't go down with out a fight."

"Fine."

I almost didn't see him coming. I barely dodged the punch he threw at me. I dodged his punches and kicks as best I could, but with not much luck. He tripped me and kicked me. I went flying past trees and through a wall.

What is it with these people and chunking me through walls? Just not right.

I hit the water of a hot spring, and a person. I got up screaming in pain from the sudden heat. Two other people screamed in surprise. I can tell you now. It wasn't female screams.

I opened my eyes and was Yukii and Kakashi.

"OH JESUS!" I shut my eyes and just used byakugan to see.

Itachi jumped through the gaping hole I made in the wall.

"Itachi! Hiaru keep your eyes closed."

"NO SHIT SHERLOCK!"

Seeing through byakugan has always puzzled me a bit. I could see the outlines of things, and their chakara. I coudn't tell the features of people, but by their chakara I could tell who was who.

I ran into the building opened my eyes grabbed Yukii and Kakashi's clothes and ran back outside.

"Guys catch!"

I chunked the clothes at them, and ducked just in time to dodge Kisame's sword.

I flipped away, and ran back. I punched and kicked. Which he blocked. I started hitting his chakara points. I have to say. I didn't get to far with that. So I went to ninjuitsu.

"Fire style: Dancing dragons!"

fire began blowing out of my palms, and took shapes of dragons. They twisted and turned aiming straight for Kisame. He being a jackass who won't sit still dodged them and sent some water my way. I jumped away barely dodging it.

While I was in mid air Kisame appeared out of nowhere and kicked me into the Inn. I crashed through many walls. People panicked and ran. Crap. I hope I didn't kill any pedestrians. That would suck.

I broke through the front of the building and rolled a few feet. I didn't have the strength to get up. The world was spinning and I felt sick, and I started to cough up blood. I turned my head to the Inn. It slowly started to collapse... Well son of a biscuit eater on ice. I just destroyed the Inn.

Wait would it count as me breaking it, or Kisame breaking it since he kicked me? Or would it be both our faults? Blame is so confusing sometimes.

Soon the world spun so fast everything got blurry and I blacked out.

**~~authors note!~~**

**Hey gummy bears! Okay I know I've had some major typos and I apologize if some of it confused you. I will now spell check it before I publish it. I only relized I was typoing because I let my friend read it and she pointed it all out. **

**Yes I know shorter chapter than usual. Working on the next one now. I'm sure it's going to be long. Hopefully. I just type what comes to mind. So don't judge me!**

**Until the next chapter my gummy bears!**

**-Hiaru out**


	5. Kidnapped, Feelings, & a concert

_~~ recap~~_

_I got thrown through the Inn. It collapsed and I was wondering if it would be my fault or Kisame's._

_Everything spun so fast it got blurry and I blacked out._

_~~ end recap ~~_

The first thing I felt when I woke up was pain. I involuntarily groaned.

Everything and I do mean everything hurt. Just a little more in certain spots than others. My hands were tied behind my back, and my body hung over someone's shoulder.

"And the Sleeping Beauty awakens? It's about time. We're almost there." Kisame said.

I opened my eyes. Sure enough all I saw was the ground moving and the back of a black cloak.

"Ode to joy. Am I suppose to be happy about that? Because I'm not."

"Hn. Just be happy we couldn't find your other Jinjuraki friend when we found you. She's very good with stealth." Itachi said.

I sighed in relief. "Good. It's bad enough I have to see you twice now. You didn't kill Yukii or Kakashi did you?"

"No. At least I don't think he did." Kisame said.

"Awesome. My friend and sensei's life may be in danger and you lead me on with a "I don't think so". Were they breathing when you left?"

"I don't know! I was getting your unconscious butt. Damn you've gotten feisty."

"Shut up fish stick."

"Fish stick?"

"There are so many names I could call you. Just from movies or things you remind me of."

"I think you just got more talkative over the years."

"I think you've gotten fishier over the years. Could you put me down? All my blood's rushed to my head."

"No."

"If you don't I will turn into the most annoying person you will ever live to know."

"That's it?"

"Currently yes. Listen fish stick I will go to the sea catch jaws and friken murder your mom."

"Jaws? What the hell?"

"Do you get non of my shark puns?"

"No. I honestly don't'."

"Itachi you have a moron for a partner."

"Will you just shut up already? You're giving me a headache."

"Then I'll never stop. You kidnapped me so you get the whole annoying package. Don't make me start singing Pokemon."

"I don't care what you do."

"POKEMON! GOTTA CATCH THEM ALL!"

"THAT'S MY EAR!"

"Really? I only see the ground and your getto cloak. Come on. Can we please just rest a little while? I'm going to pass out."

"You're not even walking."

"Yes but the way you threw me over your shoulder has my head down so all the blood is rushing to my brain. It hurts so put me the fudge down fish stick!"

"Kisame. Put her down. We should rest anyways." Itachi said sitting on a rock.

Kisame threw me off his back. If not for my ninja skills I probably would have slammed my head on the ground. I landed gracefully on my feet and sat down.

"Jeez. You guys could have at least gotten my bag. I have all my clothes in there." I complained still trying to be a pain in their asses.

"Quit complaining. We're letting you rest. It's actually a privilege for captives." Kisame growled.

"Am I annoying you?"

"Yes."

"Good! I'm doing my job then."

"Look kid you can annoy us the entire time we're together. You're going to die either way. It would give you more time if you joined us. Get assigned to a group and live longer."

"I'm apart of the leaf and I plan to stay that way. So when your mommy Jaws learns to fly is when I'll betray my village."

"Suit yourself. Your funeral."

"Yup I hope there are black roses and talking gummy bears."

"Are you sane?"

"I don't know I was traumatized at five years old. Found my grandparents slaughtered, got taken by you two, and spent two days in the dessert. So no Kisame I don't know if I'm completely sane anymore. All thanks to you two. A round of applause for breaking things the hard way to a five year old."

"Oh here we go again. Will you let it go already?"

"Will you go back in time and stop yourselves from killing my grandparents and taking me? No didn't think so."

"Itachi can I not just knock her back out?"

"No Kisame. She hasn't eaten for over 36 hours. At this rate she'll get sick. If we don't feed her soon." Itachi said.

"Yeah right. What makes you think I'll eat anything you give me?" and on cue my stomach growled. I sweat dropped.

"Yeah you won't be able to resist." Kisame chuckled.

"So many things I could say back, but if my grandmother were still alive she would slap me and shove a bar of soap in my mouth."

"Well we took care of that much haven't we?"

"Go fuck yourself with a banana you fish stick whore!"

"Fish stick whore? Why do you keep calling me fish stick?"

"Because you look like a shark and I needed something to insult you with so I call you fish stick."

"So annoying."

"Good! You deserve it!"

"Shut up already!"

"Never!"

"Can I gag her?"

"Even the power of gags will not stop me!"

"Itachi please?"

"Kisame get her. We're leaving." Itachi said.

I got up and kicked them both in the shins.

"Why the hell did you do that!?" Kisame yelled.

"BECAUSE I'M ANGRY! AND I HATE YOU BOTH!" I yelled back.

My legs collapsed from under me. "Ow. Damn legs. WORK!"

"Kisame get her."

Kisame pulled me up by my arm and slung me over his shoulder. I growled and muttered some things under my breath.

It had been hours. I ran out of things to say and annoy them with so I sat there and dangled from Kisame's shoulder.

"Okay did you die or something? You actually shut up for once."

I shrugged. "Ran out of things to say fish stick."

My stomach growled.

"Shut up." I said to it. It growled again.

"There's a dongo shop ahead. We'll stop there to eat." Itachi said.

"You two enjoy your dinner."

"You're eating too."

"No I'm not."

"Yes you are and there will be no objections."

"Well I'm objecting."

"Hn."

"Hn." I mocked.

Soon Kisame put me down and made me walk to the dongo shop. Kisame sat as far away from me as possible. Apparently they didn't trust me untied. Why did they have to be so damn smart? Anyways so I had no hands to eat with and I was sitting next to Itachi.

My stomach was constantly growling. Itachi held the stick of dongos to me. I turned my head. Finally he just poked me between my hip and my rib. I yelped and he got one into my mouth. Before I could spit it out he put his hand over my mouth.

I glared at him and he stared blankly back.

"You are going to eat weather you like it or not. Chew and swallow."

I glared at him harder. I tried to be strong and not swallow, but my hunger was taking over my mind. Damn. Why didn't I just starve myself like all the fangirls? Then this could feel like nothing.

And this is the point where hunger takes over. I glare at the floor the entire time Itachi holds the stick of dongos to me.

Itachi made me eat like almost 10 sticks of dongos. My stomach didn't object, and I tried to object. Sigh. Objection was futile.

Back on Kisame's shoulder we walked the rest of the day non-stop. Do these guys ever tire? Or just not know when to stop for a minute? Jeez.

Hey! My headband's missing! Damn it. Wonder if I would find it.

Okay even if it would be useless on attempting to escape I've got to try right? Okay so how would I go about doing it?

**"You could always ask me."**

What the hell?

I was suddenly in a flooded room with a giant cadge in it. The nine tailed fox stared down at me.

"Did you just talk?"

**"Yes. I've been talking for a while now. I could help you. If I got a little free time to myself in the outside world."**

"Outside time?"

**"I would use your body to walk around outside. My taking over causes you to grow some of my features. Like fox ears and a tail. Maybe even claws. What do you say?"**

"I- I don't know."

**"Well personally I don't want to die. So it's give in at your free will or I take you by force."**

"I... You wouldn't kill anyone right? Except for Itachi and Kisame?"

**"We'll see. So, it's a deal?"**

"Only if you only kill those two. No one else."

**"I'll try not to."**

"It's a deal then."

**"Alright. Step past the bars."**

I hesitantly started walking into the cadge. The second I was past the barrier everything went black.

~~ Yukii's POV ~~

I followed Rika. She was in her wolf form, something I wasn't all familiar with.

I was still injured, but healing from my battle with Itachi and Kisame. I should have been stronger. Then we wouldn't be in this mess. I just hope she's escaped.

"Yukii."

The sound of Rika's voice brought me from my thoughts.

"Look."

_~~ flashback! ~~_

I woke up in the forest. I looked to my right and saw my dad. Unconscious and wrapped in bandages. What happened? It all hit me hard and I sat up. I looked around. There was no one here.

"Rika? Hiaru?" I called.

A black wolf came into view carrying a net full of fish. It transformed into Rika.

"It's about time. Now Kakashi needs to wake up. So we can go get Hiaru. I still have her sent so as long as it doesn't rain I think we can still catch up with them."

"You- you're a wolf?"

"No. I'm jinjuraki. I have the Wolf demon within me. I can turn into wolfs. It's what I spend 90% of my time as. The 10% is when I'm with you two. Hiaru doesn't mind it so I just go as I want around her. You two I didn't know how you guys would handle it, so I didn't tell you."

"Well now the whole eating habits make much more sense. How far is she?"

"Far. If we don't move soon her sent will disappear. As soon as Kakashi wakes up we need to move. I have a feeling something bad is going to happen."

"Where were you? When they came?"

"I was miles away from the Inn. I was exploring a cave I had found and when I came back the Inn was destroyed and you two were unconscious. I only have a good sent on her because I found a small puddle of her blood and her headband."

"Oh great. Okay." I got up and scooted over to my dad. "WAKE UP WE NEED TO GO SAVE HIARU!" I yelled.

Rika smacked me on the head.

"THAT'S NOT GOING TO HELP BAKA!"

"I just really want to get to her before something bad happens! I need to make sure she's safe!"

"You're in love with her aren't you?"

I felt my face heat up. I tried my hardest to smirk. "No. Of course not we're teammates. We're suppose to worry about each other."

"Well the tone you used was as Hiaru would put it was either "If they hurt her I'm going to kill them" or "I need to have her back in my arms where I know she'll be safe." That's the tone and the look on your face."

"Sh-shut up."

"Ha I knew it!"

"You two are very loud." My dad said sitting up.

"Oh. So you don't hear me when I yell at you, but you hear me when we're discussing my love life?" I sighed. "Some father."

"Rika you said you still had Hiaru's sent yes?"

She nodded.

"Alright. We need to build up our strength and then we will start heading her way."

"Kakashi sensei we don't have much time. If they get any farther I'm going to lose her sent." Rika said.

He bit his thumb and summoned his dogs. "Pakkun. I need you to follow Hiaru's sent. So we don't lose her."

"Do you have anything with her sent on it?"

"I do." Rika said pulling out Hiaru's headband.

Pakkun sniffed it and stared following her sent.

"How soon do you think you can start moving?" Rika asked.

"It'll take a few days, but I have enough strength to at least follow them. We have to move slowly though. I just hope they don't have a base close."

"What are they going to do to her?" I asked.

"Yukii. They're going to extract her demon and kill her unless she joins them. That'll buy her some time, but in the end they'll kill her."

I felt anger start to bubble at the pit of my stomach.

"We need to move. Fast."

_~~ end flashback ~~_

I looked where she pointed. There was smoke. I exchanged a look with Rika and my dad. We all nodded at once. Taking an educated guess that it was Hiaru fighting back. I prayed we were right. We ran to the column of smoke.

We got to the scene. The dust was just clearing away. What I saw. I thought it was Hiaru, but... it had the shape of a fox. A very demonic aura surrounded her. 6 tails lashed and destroyed everything they touched. This. This was not the girl I made blush just a few days ago. This was the beginning of the demon that lived inside her, but was clouded by her purity.

I stood there. I was just so stunned.

Fire was shot at her. She dodged easily and flashed into the clouds of dust. All we could see was flashes. All we heard was the sound of weapons clashing against something and Hiaru's monstrous growls.

None of us moved. We just watched what we could see of the battle.

Hiaru shot out of the smoke and rolled a little. She skittered to a stop. She started making a sound. It was like an insane laugh kind of sound. Hard to describe.

little balls of black and red started coming out of her. It all formed into one ball in front of her. She opened her mouth and ate it. Her body swelled with power. Then this bright light shot from her mouth.

Chunks of the earth flew everywhere. I heard a boom so loud the ground shook violently.

The dust thickened and then I couldn't see an inch in front of me. I activated sharingan. It helped a little bit, but not by much.

Did I mention I have sharingan? Well I do. Since my dad has it in one eye, I ended up getting it as well. Only I have it in both eyes.

I did see the blast of chakara come our way. I jumped away. Not that is was any good. The power of it still sent all of us flying.

One minute I'm air born and the next thing I know I'm on the ground.

"I'm not even fighting and I get taken down." I said slowly sitting up.

More dust. Was she trying to hide herself? Wait! that's it she's clouding herself to keep hidden. I can't see well with my sharingan so that means Itachi can't see that well either. So she has the advantage to attack.

Hiaru just run already. You have the chance so go for it! If only she could see my thoughts. Well okay some of them. Not all.

I saw a giant fox-like shadow move past me. I jumped to my feet. I saw her head turn to me then she continued away.

"Hiaru." I called.

She didn't turn or answer. I started to run after her, but she whipped around and growled.

**"Don't. Hiaru will catch up with you later. Right now, it's my time to roam."** a demon-like voice said.

"H-how?"

**"Hiaru can just follow that other one's sent. Rika I believe is her name. Now leave me be boy."**

She ran away out of the dust. I stood there. I wasn't sure of what to do. I stared in the direction she ran off to. I will find her. I'll just have to go that direction to do so though.

~~Hiaru's POV~~

I woke up in the forest. I sat up and looked around. I didn't see anyone near by.

"Hello?" I called.

No answer.

I got to my feet and started walking in a random direction. It was only 20 minutes before I reached a village. By the looks of it they were celebrating something. People were dressed up in kimonos and dresses and some had costumes.

I decided I'd stay here. At least for the celebration. I love parties. And maybe all the noise would send my team coming. I hope.

I ended up shopping for an outfit since the one I was wearing was nearly torn to pieces. I ended up getting a red shirt with the strap around the neck, a belt around my torso, fishnet under neath it, black shorts, fishnet under the shorts, and black high heel boots. (**the picture of the outfit)**

I heard talk of their being fireworks tonight. Maybe it will attract my teams attention. God I hope I find them soon. I walked down the streets asking people what was going on or directions.

Apparently they were celebrating the Saroku festival. I guess it's the name of the village.

Night fell quickly. They were having a concert too. People who went in had to put their name on a paper and put it in a bucket. I just enjoyed the concert for a while. I looked through the crowd for my teammates too. Rika knew that if I was anywhere I was where the music was.

In the middle of the concert the lead singer announced who won the drawing contest. He pulled a piece of paper out and read it aloud. "Hiaru Uzumaki. Come on up!"

I just kind of stood there for a moment, then I walked on stage.

"Congratulations! you get to preform a song with us!" he said. "What do you do musically?"

"Uh... I can sing?"

"Great tell the band what song and rock on girl!" he said handing me the mike and leaving the stage.

I felt my stage fright rise.

"Hey you know 'Welcome to the show?' The one by that Britt Nichol chick?" The bass guitarist asked.

I nodded.

"Alright then tell us when you're ready."

I stood there for a moment and stared at the crowd. Three people pushed their way forward in the crowd. It was my team! I felt a smile grow on my face.

You can do this Hiaru! Come on!

"Hit it!" I told the band.

I let the beat of it flow through me.

I sang the song, and apparently I was good because everyone was dancing and cheering. Even Kakashi rocked his head to the beat. As the song went on I became more confident and I started dancing too.

"Hands high like a roller coaster!"

"This love is taking over."

"Take us higher, here we go! Oh-o-oh welcome to the show!"

"Gravity we're defying 'cause we were made for flying."

" We're about to lose control. Woa-oh. Welcome to the show!"

I sang the second chorus. My excitement grew, and I was really getting the hang of this.

"Come on, come on, come on."

"Put your hands u-u-up we're gonna have some fu-u-un. We've only just begu-u-un."

"And it's too late too ru-u-un. You can't run."

"So put 'em u-u-up. We're gonna have some fu-u-un."

"Turn up the bass, let it bu-u-ump."

"We've only just begun! And you can't run!"

I continued with the song and finally came to the end. The crowd? Was going wild. Everyone wouldn't calm down.

I handed the mike away and jumped down with my team. Yukii hugged me and spun me in a circle.

"I told you so! I told you that you are a good singer!" He shouted over the noise."

"Yeah yeah. Can we go home now?" I asked Kakashi.

"Yeah! lets go. Everyone try to stay together."

We just walked in the gates of the Leaf village. I didn't even wait for orders I just walked away from my group and to my house.

"I'm giving you all a week off!" I heard Kakashi yell as I walked away.

We had been walking non-stop. We took small rests, but in the day it took us to get here we didn't stop long enough to sleep. I walked to my room and dropped my bags at my bedroom door and fell onto my bed.

I had a peaceful dark sleep. No dreams. Just peace.

**~~ Authors Note! ~~**

**People if you don't start commenting or voting I'm going to slow down my updates. I will make you all wait longer! So Comment and VOTE! Till the next chapter Gummy bears!**

**~ Hiaru out ~**


	6. Love A complicated thing

**~~ Authors Note! ~~**

**Just so you guys know. This chapter focuses more on the Hiaru~X~Yukii pair.**

**Love can be so frustraiting. **

**Mwahahahahahahahahahaha!**

**~~ End Note ~~**

I was rudely awakened by some thing jumping on me.

"Hiaru! Wake up! I'm in the mood for your chocolate chip waffles. Make me breakfast!" A voice whinned in my ear.

I sat up and gave Rika the death glare. "Who dare disturb my slumber?" I say in a low menecing voice.

"I do. Make me breakfast." She mimiced back.

I huffed. "Ever heard of the word please? What time is it?"

"No and almost 5."

"Why did you wake me up before the sun is even up?"

"Because I'm hungry and I got tired of waiting. I didn't feel like hunting earlier."

"Pipe it down. Sheesh I'm on it already." I said walking to the kitchen.

I was getting the waffle cooker out when a thought occured to me.

"Hey why didn't you just cook it yourself?"

"I can't make them as good as you do. Plus I burn my waffles all the time. You cook it just right."

"You're just lazy today aren't you?"

"Yup. Cook woman!"

I sighed getting the ingrediants out. In 10 minutes we had chocolate chip waffles on a plate.

Another thought occured to me. "Hey, where's dad?"

I got up and walked to his room. His bed was made and he wasn't in the bathroom.

"Where's dad?"

"I don't know. Can I have seconds?"

"Maybe. I guess he went to work already. Strange. He never goes that early." I said sitting down and devouring the rest of my waffles.

"Yeah, interesting and all. Can I have more?"

"Fine."

I got up and made more.

Seriously. He never gets up this early... Wait a minute. Did he ever come home? I swear if he's pulled an all nighter again I'm going to wring his neck!

I dumped the freash waffles on Rika's plate.

"I'm going to go take a shower." I said unplugging the cooker.

I showered, dressed, put my hair up in pig tails, and put my headband on my fore head under my bangs.

I didn't really feel like dressing up today so I just put on a black tank top with fishnet sleeves, purple shorts, and my black boots.

Rika was in her wolf form still sitting in the chair at the table. I glanced at her then walked out of the apartment.

I walked to the Hokage building and jumped to the window. The lights were off and no one was there.

What the hell? Where's dad?

I started walking to Sakura's house. She always told me if I needed anything to just come by. I felt bad for waking her up so early, but I was worried.

I knocked on the door a few times. Eventually it was answered.

"Yes?" My father asked.

We stared at each other for a moment. Then it all kind of sunk in.

He was only wearing the jeans from yesterday and his hair was messey.

"H- Hiaru?" He looked shocked and very guilty.

"Naruto who's at the door?" Sakura asked peeking from behind him.

She had his shirt on. It all became clear to me right then.

I gaped at them.

"Oh my god Hiaru. I'm so sorry."

My dad reached a hand out to me. I backed away a few steps. I glared at them, but said nothing. I turned and walked away.

"Hiaru." My dad called starting to walk after me.

I sprinted away. I wasn't sure of where I was going, but by the time I'd stopped I was at my mother's grave.

I stared at it for a few minutes, then I sat down next to the tombstone. I hugged my knees to my chest and glared at the floor.

This sucks. How long has it been going on? How come they didn't tell me? I love Sakura and all, but why do I feel so betrayed?

Okay Hiaru. Calm down. Just confront them about it later. Just get yourself under control. It's not like he's cheating on anyone. Mom's dead. He's single and raising a kid. Think about it. If he truly loves Sakura, then I should just let him right?

Man. Why do I feel so angry then? What's wrong in my mental head? Which fucking gear went lose? Damn it! Why am I so angry about this? I shouldn't be. So why am I?

A tear fell down my cheek. I quickly whipped it away. Why am I crying? There's nothing to be crying about!

I got up and went to a random spot in the woods. I just let my anger out there. I started punching and kicking trees as hard as I could.

Eventually I couldn't punch them anymore. The skin on my knuckles were almost gone. I think I could see the bone of one of them on my left hand.

My hands and legs hurt like hell, but I wasn't that mad anymore. Though I'm sure dad would yell at me for taking it too far. The trees on the other hand. Well I knocked a few down and others just had big holes in them.

I should probably go home wrap my hands, and hide them with gloves. I just hope Rika ignores the smell of blood. I didn't nessesarily want to get yelled at by my father. Hopefully I wouldn't run into anyone else who would yell at me for something like this.

I was walking through the village examining my hands. Hardly anyone was awake yet. I think it was like 6 or so. I was so lost in thought I ran into someone. Neither of us were going fast so we didn't fall, but we just kind of sat like that for a moment.

My face was inches from his chest. I looked up and saw Yukii. Who was smirking.

I blushed and stepped back. "Sorry."

"No problem. In fact if you like it so much you can do it agian."

I stuck my tounge out at him. He looked down at my hands. I quickly shoved them in my pockets and started to pass him. He caught my arm.

"How did it happen?"

"I just got mad it's nothing to worry about." I said.

He had a firm grip on my arm. He stared into my eyes.

I think time stopped. His eyes were the most beautiful onyx eyes I've ever seen. They were so mysterious, yet somehow comforting. Like a comfortable darkness. The kind where you could just let go and say anything. A darkness where you knew you were safe.

"Why did you do that? What did you hit so hard that it made you bleed like this?"

He was right. Blood had started to soak my shorts pockets. I snapped myself out of it.

"Look I just got mad, had a tantrum, and now I'm fine and I'm going home. Can you let go?"

We had a stare/glaring contest for a minute, then he let go of my arm.

"Whatever." he said and walked away.

Oh the nerve of him! Why was I so attracted to him? Damn it! I hate hormones!

I stared at his back as he walked away. When he was a good distance away I turned and ran to my apartment.

Dad hadn't gotten here yet, so I had little time. Rika had left, and also left her plate on the table.

I'm going to smack her for not cleaning her mess up. No one makes a mess in my kitchen and doesn't clean it. That's why I don't let dad cook.

I wrapped my hands in thick bandages and got out my fingerless gloves. I was just changing shorts when dad walked in the door. I had my bedroom door shut, but I knew it was him. The floor creeked sometimes, and it was just the certain way they creeked that told me it was him.

There was a knock on my door. I kicked the bloody shorts under my bed and made sure my fly was up. I opened the door.

We just stared at each other. He looked ashamed.

"So, are you and Sakura going to explain yourseves?" I asked crossing my arms.

He gave a slight nod and nodded his head to the door. Meaning he wanted me to follow him.

I followed him back to Sakura's house. I smelt eggs and coffee.

He sat at the table and I sat opposite of him.

"Hiaru are you hungry?" Sakura asked.

I know she was just trying to ease some of the growing tention, but I still felt a little angry about it.

"No. I already had breakfast this morning. I would like some coffee though."

She nodded. Soon they had plates of egg and bacon in front of them. Dad had milk and Sakura joined me in coffee. She put a lot of creamer and sugar in hers. I'd normally do that, but if I'm mad and there's coffee in front of me I drink it black.

I took a sip from the mug. The bitter taste of coffe filled my mouth. Strangly it kept me calm.

Neither of them had touched their food. They both just looked down.

I stared at them then took a deep calming breath.

"Okay. Here's the deal. It's not that you two are together that bothers me. It's just that you didn't tell me anything of it that bothers me."

They both looked up at me. Both ashamed.

"So, how long?" I asked.

I laced my fingers together and set my chin on them. Staring them down.

"Well. I think it started... 3 years ago." my dad said.

I remained quiet and waited for them to go on.

"I was Naruto's helper, and as we spent more time together, the closer we became."

"I had been trying to stop myself. I've been holding myself back, for your sake. I didn't know how you'd handle it. Then last night. I just couldn't hold it in anymore."

He looked back down to the ground.

3 years ago huh? That's around the time when he stopped being so depressed about Tamaki. Sakura was the reason then?

"I'm just as much to blame. I just didn't think last night." Sakura said staring at the eggs on her plate.

I took a deep breath and let it out.

"Did you use protection?"

They both stared at me with wide eyes.

"How did you know about us doing... that?" he asked.

"Hello? I'm almost fourteen. I know what it means when the girl is wearing the guy's shirt." I said.

They both blinked at me.

"I need a yes or no here. Which is it?"

Naruto looked down. The shame growing on his features.

"N-no." Sakura said.

I huffed and pinched the bridge of my nose.

This feels like a backwards situation. Like I'm the parent and they're the teenagers.

"Okay... So here's another question. Dad do you truly love her? Sakura do you truly love him?"

"Yes." they said in unison.

"Alright. Take this as far as you want. Date, marry, do what you want. Either way, your lovelives are non of my buisness. But seriously, Don't keep important things like this from me. I'll forgive you two this time, but next time you'll have to earn my trust back."

I picked up the mug and drained the rest of my coffee. They both were staring at me with smiles.

"So you wouldn't mind if... if we dated?"

"No. Like I said, I don't care. As long as you tell me these things before something big happens like last night. By the way if you're pregnant you two are getting married. No questions asked got it?"

They both stared at me for a moment, then nodded in understanding.

"Good. Now I'm going to find Rika to pound her for leaving my kitchen a mess, and you two can enjoy the rest of your day." I said putting the mug in the sink.

After two hours of looking for Rika I gave up. I just cleaned up the mess and went on with life. What ever I'd just hit her later.

I went grocery shopping since we were on a low supply of food. When I got home guess who was sitting at my front door.

The one and only, hot, agervating, Yukii!

How is it that I feel so annoyed, but love seeing him at he same time? Maybe if he'd stop teasing me I'd like him more.

He nodded in greeting to me. I mimicked him.

"Sup?"

"Nothing much. Got bored and thought I'd visit a pretty blond I know." he said smirking.

Damn it. There he goes teasing again. Although he did call me pretty.

I blushed slightly.

"Oh. Why don't you go find her then?"

The smirk disappeared and he stared into my eyes all serious-like.

Once more staring in his eyes made time stop. I could feel and hear my heart beating faster and harder. My face started to heat up, and he started to blush along with me.

I mentally slapped myself. I broke the stare down and unlocked my door. I put away my groceries and started cleaning the kitchen. Yukii did the dishes while I whipped down the table.

Apperiantly there was a hole in the syrup bottle so the stuff was everywhere, on the table, on the floor, on the chairs. I was so mad I could punch a tree again.

I had finished the table and was fixing to work on the floor. I had to get more cleaner and paper towels.

I was walking back into the kitchen and Yukii hadn't noticed the syrup he was about to step in.

"Yukii look out."

He slipped and stumbled into me and we both crashed to the ground.

I had hit my head on the floor so I was dazed for a moment. Yukii seemed to be recovering from the fall too. He was on top of me and I was being crushed by his body. God for a skinny dude he was heavy!

"Ow." I mumbled.

He got on his knees and elbows. He opened his eyes and we both blushed at the closeness of our faces. An inch closer our lips would touch.

His hair tickled my face, and we both just sat there. Staring into each others eyes. Honestly I didn't want to move from the spot we were in. I wanted time to stop and sit like that forever.

We just sat there, for I'm not sure how long. Then he ruined the moment by smirking. That brought me back to reality.

"So you like this huh?" he asked still smirking. He leaned a little closer to where our lips barely touched.

My face heated up more, to the point it actually hurt.

"How about like this?"

I held my breath. I had never been kissed before. Nor had I blushed this badly.

I turned my head away from him. I wasn't sure if he was just toying with me, or if he acctually liked me. I wish he'd make up his god damn mind already.

He got up and offered me a hand. Hesitantly I took it and he pulled me up. I didn't meet his eyes.

I picked up the fallen towles and cleaning spray and worked on the chairs.

He grabbed some paper towles and cleaned the mess on the floor. We took turns using the cleaner. Neither of us looking at the other.

Now I feel kind of dissapointed. I think I wanted him to kiss me. So what? was he really teasing me? or waiting for me to make the choice of kissing him or not?

Damn. How can I be taken by criminals and not be afraid in the slightist, but I can't merley kiss the guy I like? I feel so pathetic.

We finished cleaning the mess and my kitchen was once more clean. I almost saw it sparkle!

"T-thank you... For helping me clean."

"No problem." he said simply.

He acted like the akward moment never happened. Damn I wish I could do that. I hate being a girl sometimes!

"So what do you want to do?" he asked.

Go back in time 5 minutes ago when we were on the floor. Grow lady balls and kiss you already!

Hiaru yelling in your head isn't going to change anything.

"I don't know. What do you want to do?"

He stared at me in thought. I had the urge to squirm under his gaze, but I held my body still.

He shrugged. "I don't really care what we do."

I was lost in thought for a moment.

"Hey. I think there's a carnaval in a neighboring village. Want to go there?" he asked.

"Sure. Just need to get money from my dad and fill him in."

"Right. I need to do that as well. Meet you at my house?"

"Yup."

**~~ Yukii's POV ~~**

I had just walked in the door of my house. My parents were on the couch watching TV.

"Welcome home Yukii." my mother greeted.

"Hey guys. Can I go to the next village with Hiaru for a carnival?"

"Just the two of you?" my dad asked.

"As far as I know."

"Hm. Hiaru ask her father?"

"Doing so right now."

"Naruto will probably send some one with you two. For safety reassurence."

"Man."

"Oooh honey! Are you finally going to try to get Hiaru to be your girlfriend?" she gushed.

"W-what? N-no! of course not! We're teammates! We're just going as friends." I said trying to hide the blush.

There was suddenly a cry from the other room. Signaling all of us that my little brother had woken up from his nap.

Dad had started to get up. "No. I'll get him. I'm already standing anyways." I said walking to the room.

I picked up my infant brother, Usui. His cries ceased, and he stared at me. I adored my little brother, ever since the day he was born. When my mom was pregnant with him 5 months ago, I was angry about it. I thought I didn't want him, but now I don't think I could live without him.

I carried him to the living room and sat in the arm chair. I played with him for a little bit, then the door bell rang.

"Come in!" I called.

Hiaru opened the door and walked in, with Lee following her.

She had put on a blue shirt over her tank top, the sleeves left her shoulders bare except for the spaghetti straps, and black shorts.

I saw her bright grey eyes light up when she saw me and my brother.

"Hey guys." she said, and leaned to Usui. "Hi Usui!"

The baby automaticaly smiled at her and reached up grabbing the air to her. I handed him to her. She took him and raised him in the air, making noises that made him laugh. It's strange. She's never had a younger sibling, yet she's so good with kids. I think she's just a natural baby person.

"Hiaru, Lee, good to see you. How soon are you leaving?" Kakashi asked.

She held Usui on her hip. "Well it's 7 right now, it'll probably take 5 hours to get there, and it's open all day. So, I guess it depends what time we want to get there and how long we stay."

"Hm. I would rather you guys be back at midnight or sooner."

"Well then if we leave now, then by the time we get there it'll be 'bout noon or so, if we hurry. Then we could stay there for a few hours. Then be on our way home. On the way home I'm not sure what time we would get back. So if we left about 7 or so it would give us 6 hours to get back home."

"Sounds good to me."

"Alright then." She said handing Usui over to my father. "Well we sould get going then."

My dad pulled his wallet out and gave me money. "Try not to get into trouble."

"Don't worry Kakashi sensei. I'm with them, nothing's going to happen."

I heard my dad mumble. "That still worries me."

I supressed a laugh and said my good byes.

**~~ Hiaru's POV ~~**

We had finally gotten to the village. Walking non-stop for 5 hours was exhausted. They payed for their ticket and got wrist bands.

"Yes! time for roller coasters!" I yelled throwing a fist in the air.

We got in the shortest line. We made small talk amongst our selves as we waited for our turn.

Yukii and I got in the very front of the roller coaster train. Both of us laughing at the straight down falls and going upside down loops and twists. We went on kind of like that. We waited in line talking of how awsome the next ride was going to be and then when we got on we laughed the entire time.

"Okay guys can we take a break for a while?" Lee suddenly asked.

We both looked back at him. He was kind of a greenish color.

"Yeah. Maybe we should get something to eat. It's like 5:30 right now." I said looking at my watch.

"Good idea. Lee you don't have to eat if you don't want to, but I do think you should drink some water."

"Yeah. Sounds like a plan. Let us go on the road of eternal youth!" he said suddenly looking healthier than ever.

Yukii and I both sweat dropped.

We ordered nachos to share, and two large Dr. Peppers, Lee just ordered a bottle of water.

"I'm going to the restroom. You two stay here." Lee said walking away.

Yukii and I had finished the nachos and honestly I was still hungry.

"I'm going to go get a pickle. You want anything else?" I asked.

"Nah. I'm good."

"Kay." I got up and stood in line.

Soon some guys got in line behind me. I over heard them talking about some girl they were looking at. I heard the words "Damn she's got a nice ass."

I turned to look at them and they were looking at me. I glared at them and rolled my eyes. I turned and ordered my pickle.

"Wonder if she likes other kinds of pickles." I heard one say.

I took it from the guy and handed him the money. I turned to the two guys.

"Shut you veginas. Oh wait that's your face. Jerks." I said pushing past them.

On my way back to the table I saw three girls flirting with Yukii.

He didn't look interested in what ever they were talking about. But I saw one of the girls pull up their skirt, so more of her butt was showing.

I erased my face of all emotion and sat down across from him.

"Who's she?" the one closest to Yukii asked.

I felt anger rise in the pit of my stomach.

He stared at me for a moment. Trying to figure out what to say and not offend me.

"She's the girl I invited to come to the carnaval with me." He said.

"Oh really? Why? She doesn't look like much fun." The skirt puller said.

The anger started bubbling.

"Well, he'd rather hang with a virgin than with you three sluts." I said.

I hadn't even ment to speak! Hormmones are taking control of my voice! Stop it!

"Oh yeah? Then why'd he invite you?" the third one said.

I death glared all of them. The skirt puller wrapped her arms loosely around his neck from behind.

"Why don't we go some where else? Alone with us for a while." she said.

He just plain looked irritated.

I slamed my fist on the table and stood up. I gave the scariest look I could manage.

"I sugest you tramps leave. Before I decide to make road kill out of you." I said in a very menecing voice that wasn't my own.

They looked frightened and shrunk back a little bit.

"Y-yeah? How you gonna do that?" the third one asked.

I cracked my knuckles. "Demolishing you three. Leave!"

They quickly ran in panic. The anger died down, I sat, and ate my pickle in silence.

"Are- are you jelious?" Yukii suddenly asked.

I looked at him. He looked generally curious.

I blushed slightly. "No! They just bugged me. I hate slutty fangirls." I said defensively.

"Really? Your reaction said other wise."

I pointed the last of the pickle at him. "Shut you face Hatake!"

He smirked and bit off a chunk of my pickle.

"NO! My pickle!" I whinned. I pulled it back and glared at the spot he'd taken a bite out of.

He laughed at my reaction. I blushed and angrily took another bite out of the pickle.

"Hey guys! I'm back! Hiaru why are you blushing? Yukii why are you laughing? What happened."

"Nothing!" I snapped.

He put his hands up in surrender and sweat dropped.

"Sorry." I muttered.

"Let's go ride more rides!" Lee said.

"Yeah!" I yelled stuffing the last of the pickle down my throat.

We rode more rides and all the while we forgot about the whole jeliousy thing. Which I was glad for.

We decided to end the night with a slow ride. One where we can just relax a little on.

The fairis wheel was the only slow ride, and the only ride we hadn't ridden. We were standing in line about to get on when suddenly Lee flipped his lid.

"Oh my goodness! I left my head band in the bathroom! Be right back!" he yelled and ran off.

It was our turn to get on so we just decided Lee would have to wait for us. We got in a booth an sat down on opposite sides.

I gazed out at the starry night. "So pretty" I thought to myself.

"It's nice out tonight huh?" Yukii asked.

I glanced at his gazing figure. He was looking at the sky as well.

"Yeah. The stars are shinning particularly bright tonight." I said.

From my side vision I saw him staring at me. I looked at him. Time stopped once more.

Onyx eyes met grey ones and I was lost. His eyes were even more beautiful than the night sky.

Kiss the girl had started playing on the speakers. The faris wheel had a speaker right beside it, so we had great spot to hear the song perfectly.

I blushed and looked down at the slowly growing small people buzzing below us.

Funny. The song almost described this exact moment. On my part anyways. I'm not sure about Yukii.

The though was making me very uncomfortable. I wish the akward moment was over already!

Hiaru what are you saying? This could be your chance to make a move!

No! He doesn't like me and I don't like him. He's just mean.

Damn hormones! I hate you! Damn it. Now I'm all confused.

"Something wrong?"

I jumped at the sudden voice.

"Um no. Nothings wrong." I said.

I felt myself blush a little. I looked down trying to hide it.

He got up and leaned over me. He tilted my chin up and made me look him in the eye. He was smirking.

"You look cute when you blush. Why are you blushing anyways?" He asked edging closer to my face.

I felt my face heat up a little more.

Please stop blushing. Please stop blushing. Please stop blushing.

"Oh? So I'm making you blush? Do you like it when I'm this close?" he edged closer. "How about now?"

I'm sure my face was tomato red by now. I think if I blushed any harder I would get a nose bleed.

"So you do like this. Hm, what would happen if I humored this moment? The song keeps repeating 'Kiss the girl' so would that make your night?"

I think my nose was about to bleed. I honestly couldn't move. My body just sat there. All stiff and pulsing to the hard pounds of my heart.

He lost the smirk and stared into my eyes all serious-like. I lost all track of time and couldn't make sense of anything. I definately couldn't make myself think.

We both leaned closer, closer, closer.

"Hey guys! I'm back! I just scaled the fairis wheel to catch up with you two!" Lee said suddenly popping up out of nowhere.

Yukii jumped and sat beside me. He was a good actor. He sat casually next to me.

My blush started to fade, but like I said I blushed so bad my nose started bleeding. I grabbed a napkin from my pocket and held it to my nose.

I glared at Yukii for a few minutes then averted my glare to the floor.

"Um did I interupt something?"

"No." we said in unison.

We glanced at each other, then I looked back to the buzzing people below us.

I was suddenly angry. With Yukii as well as with myself. Why couldn't I grow lady balls and kiss the dude already?

I mentally cried.

We got off the fairis wheel and walked to the exit.

The walk home was both exhausting and akward. I kept glancing over at Yukii and caught him staring at me. Our eyes would meet we would both blush and we both turned away.

We finally got to the village, and I just walked straight home.

Guess who was sleeping in front of my apartment door. Rika. In her black wolf form

She senced me comeing and sat up.

"Dinner?" She asked me telepathically.

I sighed and opened the door.

She layed on the floor as I cooked steak. It was easy since we both liked it rare, and I had a few canned vegtables, I added some sweet potatos too.

She turned into her human form.

"Okay something's wrong. You havn't pounded me yet for leaving your kitchen a mess. What happened?"

I stopped eating and started picking at my food.

I sighed again. "It's really embarrasing."

"Hiaru. I'm your best friend. You can tell me."

I nodded and told her everything. From the almost spaghetti kiss to the fairis wheel. She quietly ate and listened to me. When I finished she had eaten everything on her plate.

"So... did you want him to kiss you?"

"... Yes."

"Why didn't you kiss him then?"

"It's not that easy Rika."

"Yeah it is."

"No. You know what? Just wait until you have a crush on someone and try to kiss him without being chicken."

"I doubt I'll ever like anyone. Even if I do it shouldn't be that hard to just push two lips together."

"What ever. Tell me that when you can't grow lady balls and kiss your freaking crush." I said heatedly.

I dumped my plate in the sink and trudged off to my room. I changed into pajamas, took my hair down, and buried my self under my covers.

I didn't go to sleep right away. My mind kept replaying the scene over and over. I ended up feeling even more angry with myself.

DAMN IT!

Mother fucker! Why didn't you kiss me!?

I groaned and buried my face in my pillow. I eventually fell asleep, but I was mentally kicking myself the entire time.

The rest of the week went by in a flash. Today was Friday. I hadn't seen Yukii since the carnaval. A week has passed and I'm still majorly kicking myself.

I huffed as I walked down the streets to the training feild. I had nothing better to do so I've been training. My dad had taught me rasengan in the last few days. It was a little scratchy, but he said it was better than what he'd done when he'd first learned it.

My dad had been spending almost every moment of free time with Sakura. Even while training. When they thought I wasn't paying attention I saw them making out behind a random tree.

Kind of gross in my opinion.

I got to the feild, and I was the only soul here at the moment. I sat down in the middle in the sun and put my elbows on my knees.

Everything was quiet for a moment. A small creature jumped on my head and started pawing at my ponytails. I grabbed it by the scruf of it's neck and ripped it off my head.

It was a baby wolf. Staring at me with innocent eyes. I raised an eye brow at it.

"Rika. What was that for?"

She shrugged.

"Follow me here?"

She nodded her head yes. She nipped my nose and grew into her favorite black wolf form. I let go of her so she would get her suddenly heavy butt off me.

"Well good to see two of you here. We can get this done all together." Kakashi said.

"OH MY FUGGIE MUNCHIES! You scared the crap out of me!"

"Fuggie munchies? The things you say sometimes amaze me."

"Hey you were the one who said I was a 'very mature 13 year old.' Your mistake."

"Hm. No that still stands. Not all adults can be out spoken and yell what ever comes to mind. Unlike you. Even some adults act like children."

"Okay. So where's my dad?"

"He's busy today. He asked if I could help train you."

"Okay. Can you even make a rasengan?"

"Who said I'd be teaching you more on rasengan?"

"Um okay so what are you gonna teach me?"

"Nothing you don't already know. I'd just like to strengthen you weak points."

"Okay like what?"

"Your genjutsu, tweak your taijutsu a bit, and some other things that need minimum work."

"That's it? You don't have some awsome move to teach me?"

"Acctually if you have the right nature for it I do have a 'awsome move' to teach. But that's for another day."

"Oh come on! Teach me! Teach me!"

"I don't know what natures you posses yet. So no."

"PARTY POOPER!"

"Now you sound like your father when he was your age."

"GOOD!"

"Let's get to work. Rika would you please turn human for this training session?"

She poofed into a human. "Fine. I'm staying in wolf form in tomarrow's training excercise."

"Fine."

**~~ Yukii's POV ~~**

I sat on the floor playing with my little brother. The whole carnaval thing had been replaying in my head for the past 5 days. I kicked myself all week. I wasn't able to kiss her. Damn it. Fuck me. I've also been repeating that in my head too.

My mom walked in the door with bags of groceries. I put Usui in his play pin and took the bags from her.

"Thanks sweetie."

"No prob. Hey I need to ask you something."

"What's up?"

We started putting the newly bought food in their places.

"Well... Um. H- how do I get a girl to like me?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well like, I've been using things I've seen in movies, seen guys do on the street, and from dad's books."

"He let you read it?"

"No. I took it from him and flipped through it."

"Well can't be helpped now. And?"

"Well I tried everything, but it just seemed to push her away. I don't know what to do. I've even tried to be out right blunt about it, but I just can't do it! So I though I'd just get some advice from the most trusted female I know."

"Aww that means so much honey. Well do you know her interests? Maybe you know of something she likes or a place she's wanted to go. Maybe she likes the sensetive type. Honey it would be much easier to tell you if I knew the girl."

"Well. You do know her."

"Yeah? Who is she? Wait... Let me guess. It's Hiaru."

I felt my face drain of color slightly. "...Yes."

She put a finger to her chin. A baby noise came from the living room. She looked in that direction and a smile slowly played itself on her features.

"I have an idea."

**~~ Hiaru's POV ~~**

"Okay. That's good enough for today. We will get our next mission tomorrow." and with that Kakashi poofed away.

"Well... That was quick. What do you want to do now?"

"I don't know."

"Fight?"

"Sure."

From then we comensed to beating the holy crap out of each other. Punching, kicking, even using some ninjutsu. Rika had turned back into a wolf for this.

I'll tell you now. We do not hold back when we spar. We fight each other like we're trying to kill the other. We only stop when one is about to finish the other or when we're both worn out. So far it has always been the latter.

"Are you guys fighting or something?" A sudden voice asked calmly.

We both paused mid punch and stared at Yukii. He was carrying Usui with him as well. My mind went blank for a moment then I straightened up.

"Hey Yukii." I said way more calmly then I was feeling. "Sup."

"Nothing much. Just taking care of my little brother for my mom. I thought maybe you would want to see him. Maybe help me out a bit."

Oh great now I'm only a baby sitter for him. But Usui's so cute!

"Hm. Sure I guess."

Rika walked over and sniffed Usui. She made a face and walked behind me as a human sheild.

"How can yo stand babies?"

"How can you stand being a wolf 23/7"

"There's 24 hours in a day Hiaru."

"I know. Only one hour of a day do you stay human. So it's 23/7."

"Whatever."

"Guys?" Yukii interuppted.

"Right sorry. Yeah we'll help."

Rika gave me the 'What do you mean we?' face. I gave her the 'Oh yeah. You're gonna be stuck here with me too!' face.

Yukii put Usui down and sat down. I sat across from him, and Rika lied down behind me.

"So? what have you been doing since the carnaval?" he asked randomly.

Kicking my self. Why didn't you kiss me? "Um nothing much. Just lounging around. It's kinda boring here. Not much to do."

"Well you could have always come to my house. Then we'd have fun." he smirked.

I pushed down the blush burning on my face. "Sure. And what would we do? play my little pony?" Okay. Kinda harsh, but I was getting irritated with him teasing me. A girl can only take so much!

The smirk turned into a frown and a glare. "Yeah you would know all about my little ponies wouldn't you? Since you are one!"

"Am not!"

"Are too."

"AM NOT."

"YOU ARE TOO!"

"NO!"

"YES!"

"NO!"

"YEAH YOU ARE!"

"SAYS WHO!?"

"SAYS ME!"

"WHO CARES!?"

"YOU SHOULD!"

"NU-UH!"

"YA-HUH!"

"NO!"

"YES!"

"WILL YOU TWO SHUT THE HELL UP!?" Rika yelled. She was back in her human form. "Where's the kid?"

Yukii and I both looked around.

"AAHHH!"

"OH NO!"

"Usui!"

**~~ Authors note! ~~**

**Mwahahahahaha cliff hanger!**

**So do you think I did good on this chapter? Should I keep adding halariously funny situations with Hiaru and Yukii?**

**What has happened to little Usui? What will happen next? Why am I asking some of the questions some of you are thinking? Because I'm awsome like that. Dudes I'm running out of encouragement here. Boost my spirits comment, vote, and please by all means become a fan.**

**Love you gummy bears!**

**~~ Author out ~~**


	7. Baby Rescue and a calm swimYeah Right

"Where's the kid?"

Yukii and I both looked around.

"AAHHH!"

"OH NO!"

"Usui!"

"Oh shit. Shit shit shit shit shit shit shit!"

Yukii and I began freaking out and running around in of us yelling in panic. Rika sat off to the side sweatdropping. She barked really loudly, which made us jump, but hey we stopped. We turned our attention to Rika.

"Okay. Calm down. Surely he couldn't have gotten that far. Hiaru use your byakugan to find him."

I activated my byakugan. My sight raced through the village. I saw him crawling onto a work sight.

"AAAAHHHH!" I screamed.

I ran as fast as my feet could carry me. I heard Rika and Yukii right behind me. Usui had crawled up on a tunnel that they lifted up into the air. I scaled the building's skeleton and jumpped into the tunnel. I grabbed his foot just as he reached the edge.

Yukii and Rika were running along the building with us. I picked Usui up and tossed him to Yukii. He caught him with ease. Someone was lifting a giant bar right by Yukii and somehow Usui got on that too.

I jumpped out of the tunnel and we ran after Usui. We had to dodge workers, tools, swinging objects.

Is it just me or is this starting to sound like a cartoon? It's like a total Tom and Jerry moment.

He crawled off the bar to the roof of the building. We ran up the building after him. Just as we reached the top he slipped and fell off. Rika (still in wolf form) lunged for him and bit down on his pants. I grabbed her around the waist and Yukii grabbed my feet.

Rika changed into human form and grabbed Usui with her hands. I heard Yukii struggling with our weight. He slowly pulled us all back onto the bars.

Do you know what the freaking kid was doing the entire time? Laughing. Laughing and clapping his hands as if to say "Do it again! Do it again!"

Not gonna happen again... Ever.

We all finally sat down on the curb, everyone breathless. I quickly composed my breathing and checked Usui for any injuries.

"Well no harm done to anyone, though I do feel stressed out still." Yukii said.

Rika nodded in agreement. When I thought about stress, there was one place I could think of to releive it. A smile slowly spread across my face.

"I know where to go for relaxation. Be sure to grab your swim suits."

We hiked up the mountain, the air getting colder as we went up more. Rika had turned into her black wolf again, Yukii and Usui shivered in their shirts and swim trunks. I had shorts and a tank top on, underneath black bikini.

We walked around to the side of the mountain and I spread open the bushes covering the entrance to my paradise.

"Hiaru where are we going? It's really cold out here!" Yukii said through chattering teeth.

I smiled, very confident. "You'll see. Trust me this place will blow your socks off."

I cracked a glow stick and crawled through the tunnel. I saw the colorful lights up ahead and dropped the glowstick.

I got to the edge of the small cave and stopped. the still water looked like colored glass, with the colored crystals reflecting off of it. Warm air blew at my face and warmed my body.

I crawled out onto the small ledge and reached for Usui. Yukii handed him to me and I set him on my hip as I side stepped to the smooth stone beach of the lake. It's a mountain lake by the way. It was natural mineral water, but it felt better than a hot spring.

I set the baby at the edge of the warm water and he started splashing in it. I heard a "Wow." from Yukii as he walked up beside me. Rika sniffed around a bit and sampled the water. Her eyes widened and she dived into the water making ripples.

I took a good look around. Many colored crystals and other gems poked out of the cave walls. There was a gap in the top of the mountain that let the sun shine in. The sun reflected off of the gems and the gems made almost a disco type of thing throughout the rest of the cave and onto the water.

I pulled the tank top off and slid my shorts down reveiling my black bikini with a red lily on the top. Yukii stared at me with wide eyes for a long moment and muttered "Godess."

I felt my face heat up, and I knew I was blushing again. I crossed my arms and walked into the water. I slipped into the warm water with ease. I dove down under water and swam around the small rock island in about the middle of the small lake.

I broke to the surface at the same time Rika did. We looked at each other. Though she couldn't quite make the expression I knew she had the same knowing smile on her face as I did.

We both lunged for each other and tried dunking each other. Both of us ended up under water so we wrestled for a while, then she kicked me sending me deeper into the water.

I decended to the part of water that the light hardly touched. Only a few strong rays of colored sun poked through the darkness. I just lay still for a moment recovering from the pain in my stomach. Man I think she left a bruise.

I swam to a ray of light and examined my stomach. Blood oozed out from a small cut. She must have accidentlly got me with her claws.

In my prefeild vision I saw something big and white slither near by in a ray of light. I turned my head that direction.I saw it go past again in a different ray of light, only it was so close and going so fast I felt the water go into a current after it. From what I saw it was basically a giant white snake.

A cold chill ran down my back. I really hated snakes. I'm almost to the point of a phobia of them. The thing is, is that I've explored this lake farther down and I didn't see any dangers like this. All I've seen was fish. This is no ordinary snake either. This is a freaking monster!

Through the darkness I saw a stale yellow orb with a slit of black in the middle watching me. Even the eyes were of a snake. I involintarily put a hand over the still bleeding wound trying to stop it from spreading so much.

The snake stared at me predatorly and made a quick move to bind me. It squeezed my body tight enough that I couldn't wiggle away, but not hard enough that I'd die. I struggled and thrashed around panic taking over.

No. No. Calm down. Think. What can you do to get out of this? What can I do!?

"**Chakara**" A dark voice whispered.

Chakara! Yes! Okay here it goes!

I focused my chakara to my hands. My hands grew warm and they glowed in the darkness. The snake jerked away and I blew the glow full blast at it. It poofed away before it desindegrated.

Wait. Poofed!? Normal freaking animals don't just poof! Summonings poof! Or people poof! That was no ordinary snake, but who the hell summoned it?

The pain reverted from my stomach to my lungs. I'd been down here for god knows how long! I started swiming to the surface as hard as I could. I was a few feet away when my body began to slack, and everything got dark.

I felt someone pumping on my chest, and another person press their lips against mine and push air to my lungs. Everything hurt, but the air felt good. Water jolted to my mouth and I spit it out. From then I eruppted into a visious coughing war. I coughed up what seemed like a gallon of water. The people that did CPR on me turned me on my side so I could drain easier.

When I was finally done I took several deep breaths. Air had never felt so good ever!

"Hiaru are you alright?" I heard Yukii ask.

I opened my eyes finally and looked at him. He and Rika both had very concerned faces. I nodded. "Yeah. I'm alive and breathing, thanks to you two."

"Hiaru what happened?" Rika asked.

How did it happen? Um I just showed them this place, I'm not gonna scare them off (even though Rika'll want to jump in the water and fight it herself. Sigh I love the wolf girl to death, but she's not the freashest cookie in the jar.

"I um panicked. Going down that deep kind of scared me, and when I tried to swim back up sea weed caught my ankle. It took a while before I could get free, and when I did I tried to swim back up, but blacked out." I said, my voice getting stronger.

"Well you're not getting back in after that. Seriously you scared the crap out of us." Yukii said.

I sat up rubbed my face. It seemed to bring me back to reality more. Usui was still splashing around in the shallow part of the water. I couldn't help but smile at his innocence. "it's okay. You two can swin without me. I'll hang out right here with Usui."

The rest of the day went smoothly. No more snake appearences came up and we all had a great time. I waited until it was almost sundown and we left. Once we got aways from the mountain I told them to stop and watch. The sun slowly came down and it hit a gap just right and it looked like the whole mountain was glowing.

"Wow." Rika muttered.

As quick as it came it was gone. I smiled in satisfaction of their awe. From then Yukii went home, Rika, well she doesn't have a permanate house she normally sleeps in the forest around the village. Sometimes she crashes here and she uses my shower if she doesn't just jump into an ice cold river. So needless to say she went to her new sleeping spot while I walked home.

I didn't have to look around to know I was being followed. The presence felt similar to the snake in the lake. I hurried to my da- well I guess it's just my apertment now. I packed a change of clothes and pajamas and hurried to Sakura's house. I knew it wasn't very safe to be in my apartment alone. Especially with the 'creepy' aura this guy had.

I knocked on Sakura's door and a few minutes later the pinkette answered. "Hey Hiaru... Um want some dinner?"

I nodded. "Would it be okay if I crashed here for a night?"

"Anytime Hiaru." She looked outside and we both shared a knowing glance. She knew something was making me uncomfortable.

We had a pretty good dinner, and I changed into over sized black T-shirt and orange shorts with red swirls on them. I layed down on the couch and got myself comfortable. I forgot to get a blanket. Crap.

I was about to get up and get an extra, but someone layed a brown blanked over me. I looked up at my dad. He smiled and kissed my forehead. "I love you. Good night."

"I Love you too. Good night daddy."

I got comfortable again and considered a thought for a moment. "I love you Sakura. Good night." I called.

"Love you too Hiaru. Sweet dreams."

I let my world fall dark in the comfort of dark sleep.

~~Authors Note ~~

Okay guys I made a few changes. Only because I've been writing on my phone too and I accidently clicked the wrong button and made it start like waaay over. So I had to rewrite it. Instead of writing it all as I originally did it, I got lazy and changed it so it wouldn't take so much time.

So yeah just let you guys know about that. Yuppp... Any guesses on who the newest stalker is? Yeah it's actually pretty obvious. Who cares! Xp I certainly don't! (mostly because I'm really tired).

I really need to add some more Hiaru and Rika moments. Make the friendship even closer. teehee only one of you can guess what I have in store for you (person is YukiUchiha. Don't even ask her what's gonna happen. I want it to be a big surprise. Even though some of you have guessed on what's gonna happen in the future. Keep on those thoughts. You maybe right. TeeHee one way to find out!)

Well I hope you enjoyed the chapter reguardless of my lazyness. Peace!

~~ End Note ~~


	8. Creepy Dude in My Room

I was shaken awake. I flipped still half asleep and punched whomever touched me as hard as possible. I opened my eyes. My dad was on the ground clutching his jaw.

I sweat dropped. "Opps. Sorry dad."

My body quickly woke up and I was alert. Sakura sweat dropped and stared at me.

I suddenly remembered I had training today. I looked at the clock. 7:00 A.M.

I flipped my lid and ran to the bathroom with my clothes. I speed changed ripped a brush through my hair, tied it up in pigtails and put the headband on. I ran out of the bathroom and ran to training grounds.

Even Kakashi had already shown up. He crossed his arms at me and stared at me with half his eye lid closed. "You're late Hiaru." he said in a sing song tone.

"I know. I'm sorry I really over slept."

He sighed. "Let's get started then."

We practiced on measuring our chakara, streaching exercises, and reflexes.

"Now that you're all warmed up, it's time for the lesson. What do you three think your chakara natures are?"

"Earth!" Rika said loudly.

Yukii shrugged and had a thinking face on. I poned on the thought for a moment. "Fire." I said.

"Hm and you all think you're positive on this?"

Rika nodded her head furiously, Yukii looked like he was still thinking about it. I thought about it again, and shrugged. Kakashi sighed and handed us each a small slip of paper. I turned it over to see nothing writen on the back. "What's this for?" I asked.

"That will tell you your chakara nature. Depending on the papers reaction to your touch will determine what one of your chakara natures are. If it bursts into flames you have fire, if it turns into dirt you have earth, if it gets soggy and wet you have water, if there's a clean cut in the middle of the paper then you have wind. Those are the basic elements, and those are the ones I want you to aim at for the time being."

"Now I want you to put the paper between your hands and force your chakara to it. Like this." He demonstrated and the paper burst into flames. He nodded to us to do the same.

I put the paper in my hands like he did and concentrated my chakara to the slip of paper. I felt my hands grow warm. I opened my eyes and moved the top hand. The paper was burning in a blue flame.

There was a loud "YESH!" (that's right yesh not yes or yeah. Rika's words are yesh or yush). I looked back and Rika had a pile of dirt in her hands. I looked to Yukii who had a disturbed look on his face. Water was gushing from his hands.

So I'm fire, he's water. That isn't a sign is it? I hope not. Wait why do I care?

Because you like him

Shut up voice in my head.

Hey you're the one who's deniying your love.

God I'm so annoying.

"Hm I probably should have asked you guys this before I made you do your chakara thing. This is free to your choice, but it will take all of you to do it."

"Do what?" Yukii asked coming out of his haze.

"The chunin exams are coming up soon. You must pass the chunin exam in order to become a chunin. Very few of the contestants that enter the chunin exams acctually pass, some even die. I cannot guarantee your safety, because I won't be there to guide you. You will have to do this on your own, and you will have to find the suitable sensei's to help you get stronger. Though we will do small missions during that time as well. The start of the exams is june 17. I don't know the building or room number quite yet, but I will as the time comes."

That was a lot to take in. If we entered these exams, we could lose our lives. But if we got through these exams we could possibly pass as chunin. Both sides are 50 50, which means by how strong we get and as our team work improve, we could pull through.

"You don't have to decide now. The forms have to be turned in by the end of the week, so you have until saturday. Now then putting all that to the side, we have missions to do."

I'm skipping the whole missions thing, because we were back to doing boring and simple things again. Rika and I both really fail. I tripped and almost went down a freaking waterfall, Rika picked weeds, grass, and leeks, we both started spraying each other with water when we were bathing someone's dog. So though we got in trouble... a lot, we at least had a little fun.

I walked into Sakura's house exhusted from the boring yet tiring missions. She and dad were waiting for me. Both of them wore nervous smiles. I raised a brow. "What's up?"

"Um Hiaru, you know how- what you said when you found out we were together? Well um..." Sakura said fading off.

My eyes widened at the realization. My emotions came up with two things surprise, and joy. I finally got a younger sibling. I used byakugan to see inside her womb, sure enough a small form not even bigger than my index finger was there.

I let byakugan slide away as I stared at the two of them. I felt a big smile spread across my face. "So? When's the wedding?"

They both smiled at my reaction and shared a look. "We'll all discuss it over dinner." my dad said.

I followed them in the dinning room and we had a wonderful dinner.

I slipped into bed that night. I was back at my apartment alone since they wanted to stay together. Sakura asked if I wanted to stay again, but I declined. The place needs a good dust through anyways.

I turned off my lamp and turned on kmy side, facing the wall. I fell into blackness. Completely unaware of the snake in the corner of my room, watching me. I began to have nightmares again and woke up with a jolt.

shaking I sat up and looked at the clock, it read 3:00 AM.

"You've got to be kidding me." I muttered. I rubbed my face with my hands and then up to the back of my head and just stayed like that for a few seconds. I sighed and walked to the bathroom. I splashed water on my face and took deep calming breaths. It didn't take me very long to escape haunting fear from the nightmares.

I looked in the mirror and relized my hair was still up, and now very crooked. I pulled out the ribbons and brushed my long hair out. "I really need to cut this some time. It's getting really long." I studied my honey blond hair in the mirror for a few more seconds and smiled. "But it does look good long."

I turned the light back off and walked to my bed. I fell onto my bed and pulled the covers over me again. It took me a few minutes to realize the chilling presence in my room. I sat up and looked to the source of the uncomfortable chill.

A shadow darker than the already dark room was in the corner of the room watching me. All I could see were the glowing yellow eyes like a snake. The snake from the mountain lake flashed through my mind. Yes, the same eyes. I held down the shiver wanting to ecape and make my body shudder.

"What are you doing here? Who are you?" I asked putting on a brave and confident face and voice. Though my insides were doing rapid flips and frightened butterflies tickled my stomach furiously.

His eyes squinted so I could tell he was smirking. I held his stare with a glare. His chuckle sent ice to the pit of my stomach. This time I couldn't stop the shiver travel down my spine.

"I'll be keeping an eye on you. You have so much potential. So much power. As I've said as you were mearly an infant" He flash stepped towards me so we were a few inches apart "I'll be back little fox."

He touched my neck and I passed back out.

~~ Authors note ~~

Yeah I know super short compared to what I normally do. Only way I could update faster. Dudes I'm having so many ideas for so many different fanfictions, but I already have enough on my plate. So if I haven't updated on anything lately them comment on it to remind me.

I hope you enjoyed the chapter anyways!

~~ End Note! ~~


	9. Chunin Exams! Stage 1

I woke up with a spitting headache. Why's my head hurting so badly? It feels like I slammed it into a brick wall a thousand times. All I remember from last night was going to bed at like 10 or 11 and I fell asleep pretty soundly. So why am I feeling so... icky this morning?

I dragged myself out of bed and took a shower. When I got out I did the usual routine: clothes, hair, breakfast, and shoes. Only this time I added a cup of coffee with my breakfast. I looked in the mirror and to be honest I look like shit. I even added some makeup, but I still looked drained.

I felt a little sore on my neck, but there wasn't a bruise of any sort so I have no explamations for it. Anyhow I still have to meet up with the team and go with what ever we're doing today. My body protested, but I walked out the door fully dressed, forehead protector in place under my bangs.

When I got there it was only Rika and Yukii. The sun was already up, and they both raised a brow to me. "Feeling okay Hiaru?" Rika asked.

I looked off to the side, it'd be best if they didn't know I really wasn't feeling well. "Yeah. fine." I said casually.

They gave each other an uncertain glance. I decided to keep up with the act. I smiled and acted energetic. "Come on guys! Have a little faith in me." I said and grinned at them, though I felt total opposite.

Kakashi got there only minutes after I did. "So have any of you decided if you're going for the chunin exams?"

"Good morning to you too." Rika said sarcastically.

"Good morning Senroita Sarcasim." he said in a unamused tone.

"I think we could pull it off." Yukii said.

"Think! I know we can kick thier butts! We can so win the exams with out breaking a sweat!" Rika said excited/determinedly.

With my mood I'd agree with anything. "If we train hard enough, then we might be able to pull though. One of the stages is all about team work right? If we polish that up a bit, then I have faith that we could possibly do it." I said tiredly.

"Hiaru are you feeling well?" Kakashi asked.

Screw it. I don't care anymore. "Yeah. I didn't get... The most sleep last night."

"Why's that?"

"Um... I'm not sure honestly. I might have just had a lot on my mind. I don't quite remember."

"Hm. Well we still have to get down to missions."

I sweat dropped. "What was the point of even telling you that if I'm still going to have to work?" I mumbled grumpily.

Reluctantly I got up and followed them to our mission for the day.

Once it was over we were free to go. I honestly was too tired to move. I walked home and went straight to bed.

It'd been a week, so today's Saturday. (I'll spare you the details of training and boring little missions. Not really that interesting). We walked into the building everyone auditioning would be meeting at.

There was already a crowd of kids gathered at the door. Although It seemed piculiar that the 300's should probably be on the other side of the building. I put a hand in front of Yukii and Rika. "It's a scam. This isn't the real room."

Yukii looked at me then at the hall's room numbers. Realization crossed his features. "You're right. They're testing us."

"What? I'm confused." Rika said.

I pushed through the crowd and made a hand sign. "Release." Everything poofed back to it's normal numbers. Most everyone was confused for a moment, but quickly caught on. Rika grabbed mine and Yukii's hands and ran down the hall.

Out of all of us, she's probably the fastest.

We were the first ones at the door with everyone breathless behind us.

"Man you guy's really know how to run." A voice said from behind us.

We all turned to see the Inuzuka sisters and Nikura Aburame. The sister's of course were twins who also had twin dogs with them. I wasn't very familiar with any of them. I haddn't really talked to them much durring the academy.

"Um Kina and Kani right? I remember you two from the academy. Nikura! How's it goin' man?" Yukii greeted.

I guess out of the three of us he's the most sociable. So what am I? I can't be the brainiac, because Yukii's smart too. So what would I be?

"Hey Yukii looking as good as ever!" The twin on the right said.

"Yup. Tell me you're not still crushing on a certain someone right?" the other whispered loud enough for me to hear.

He blushed. "Shut up Kani!"

"Aww. Puppy love." The other, Kina said.

Nikura merley laughed. "Yeah they pick on me too dude. I'm in the same boat as you are. Hello Hiaru, Rika." He said pushing up his dark sun glasses.

"Hi." I said.

"Oh my gog! Kina, Kani you're dogs are so cute!" Rika exclaimed kneeling to pet them.

I sort of tuned them out for a moment and checked the time. One minute.

I heard someone clear his throat. I turned in that direction to see Tenji. He seemed a lot more competetive than he use to. We havn't trained together since Grama and Grampa. He was definatley stronger looking.

"Hey Tenji." I said giving him a short wave.

"Hn." was his only reply.

"Sheesh. Who crapped in his corn flakes this morning?" I mumbled to myself.

Rika snorted, over hearing my quiet comment. I elbowed her, she elbowed me back, we went along like that until a ninja popped in front of the door. He had a black jacket on with a hood that made almost kitty ears on his head. His face was painted with purple marks, and he had something wrapped in bandages on his back. His head band indicated he was from the sand village.

"Hello everyone. I'm Konkoro, and I will be the one testing you for this stage in the exams. Please if you would walk into this room and have a seat. We'll get started." He said in a loud voice so everyone could hear.

We all shuffled into the room, and everyone took random seats. Yukii was in the front row, Rika in the back, and I was somewhere in the middle. Kani was on rika's left, since Rika was at the end of the row. Yukii had Tenji and someone else beside him. A guy with white hair and glasses sat at my left, and a guy with bright red spiky hair sat on my right.

The guy on my left looked somewhere in his 20's maybe. The guy on my right looked a little older than I was, but his looks made my heart pound. He was just as beautiful as Yukii!

Since people were still shuffling around looking for places to sit, he turned to me and smiled. "Hey I'm Kyosta. What's your name?"

"Hiaru." I managed almost studdering.

"Hiaru. That's a different name. I like it."

I felt myself blush. Damn it. "Thank you. Your name's unique as well."

"Eh." he said shrugging his shoulders. "Hey you want to be friends? My dad said it's always good to make new friends."

I smiled at that. "I agree with that. Sure, never can have too many friends right?"

"Awesome!" We both fist bumped.

Before we could continue konkoro caught our attention. "Now then. You have a paper in front of you. This is a test you must complete using your own knowledge. If any of you are caught cheating, you and your team will be disqualified. Start!"

Everyone flipped their papers. The only thing I could do was gape at it. Okay I was smart, but this was just rediculous!

I studied the paper intensley. I couldn't figure out any of the problems. They seemed impossible!

Wait. He said if we got caught cheating we'd be disqualified. He said nothing about it being illeagle. We're suppose to cheat! That's why they made this paper so hard. We're suppose to use our abilities to get the answer from someone else. The question is, who has the right answers?

I activated byakugan, but only used a small fraction so it wouldn't be noticable with the veins popping out of my temples. So far there were three possible people I've picked out. I picked a random one and began jotting down the answers. I finished and flipped my paper so the blank side was up.

I sat back and spread my hands out on the process. My pinky brushed Kyosta's hand. We made eye contact. I jerked my hand away and muttered an apology. I looked down and tried to hide the blush. I felt a slight tingle on the bottom of my back. Involentarily I put a hand over it.

So I didn't look suspisious I made it look as if I was scratching my back and folded my hands in my lap.

I still had plenty of time to spare. We still had at least 30 minutes left of the test. I picked up my pencil and began randomly drawing something. After a little over 30 minutes or so the timer finally rang, forcing everyone to put their pencil's down.

I put the pencil down and studied my art work. It was a fox and a wolf, and it looked as if they were dancing in a deadly battle. Wonder why I drew that? All well it still looked awesome.

"Okay so you must have realized there were only 9 questions on the test. There are actually suppose to be 10. So here's the final question. Are you serious and devoted to becoming a ninja? Serving your village with out question? If you are ready to do this then stay in your seat. If you don't think your ready or don't want to make that sacrifice, then leave this room now."

After a moment a few people got up and left the room silently. A small flock followed after a moment's hesitation. The door closed with a soft click. We all waited for anyone else who'd change their mind. No one else moved.

"All of you who have decided to stay. You pass." he said simply.

"You mean we only had to stay!?" I heard Rika loudly mumble from her seat.

I smothered a laugh. "Now we will wait here unti-" he stopped as the door slowly opened.

A girl dressed in dark blue walked in. She had blond hair and blue eyes. She stopped in front of the room and looked all of us over. "Hello. I'm Ino and I'll lead you to the next stage in the chunin exams!


	10. Chunin Exams Stage 2 part 1

Ino lead us to the gates of the forest of death. I now see why they called it the forest of death. Just looking at its boarders scared the ever living out of me.

"Obviously this is the forest of death." Ino said gesturing to the dark forest. "In the forest of death there are no rules."

"Don't we just hav like a week to get to the arena?" Rika asked.

"Precisely. But there is more to it. You will receive 1 of 2 scrolls. You will have either a heaven scroll or an earth scroll. Your objective is to get both scrolls, with everyone in your team alive you must reach the arena in a maximum of 8 days. Do not open the scrolls until you get there, if you there will be consequinces. You may open both scrolls once you're inside the arena."

"Sounds easy enough. Lets start already!" Rika yelled.

That earned a glare from Ino. "You will receive one of the two scrolls now." She handed each group a scroll. "Now once you pass the gates the second stage of the exams will begin. Go!"

Everyone ran into the forest. Rika transformed into a wolf and began to out run everyone. I kept up with her well enough, as did Yukii. We ran until we were a good mile into the forest.

We stopped and rested for a moment.

"Okay guys. We need a plan." I said.

"Alright? What've you in mind?" Yukii asked squatting with his arms on his knees.

"Haven't gotten that far yet. We need to breain storm and come up with something though. We have a heaven scroll, so we need to find an earth scroll."

"Well that's simple." Rika said suddenly. "We simply kill someone and take their scroll." She had an insaine look in her eyes.

"Umm I thought maybe we could go with a sort of peace treaty type of thing." I said nervously. It's strange, I've rarely seen Rika act this way. That look scares me.

"Hiaru you're smarter than that. We can't fufill a mission with peace treaties. We may have to beat someone to get what we want." Yukii said as a matter a factly.

I shot him a desperate look. "Yes we just kill them. Kill them all." She said creepily.

He seemed ot finally notice the insanity in her eyes. "Um on second thought I agree with you Hiaru. Yeah a peace treaty of sorts, or maybe just knocking them unconsious. Not killing. Definatly not killing."

She snapped back to reality. "Huh? What are we talking about?"

I forced back a sweat drop. "Nothing. We're just going to find someone with an earth scroll, knock them unconsious, and run like hell to the arena." I said in a hurried breath.

"Oh. Okay."

Yukii and I exchanged a look. We may have to be looking out for Rika if she goes off edge. I brushed the thoughts to the side and focused on the task at hand.

I used byakugan and sped through most of the forest. I passed people already killing other teams, I saw the arena, and I saw Kyosta fighting with another team. He used sand to take down his oponnets.

Soo strong I thought absently. I snapped back to reality and turned back to my friends. "The only team that has an earth scroll are only a few miles from the arena. We're no where near the arena at the moment. I suppose we should focus on food and water first though. Once we find a water source we stock up and just kill animals on our way. We must be quick though. We cannot afford to waste anytime."

"Right." They said in unison.

We followed Rika to the sound of a river. We stocked up on water for the trip and headed quickly to the nearest earth scroll. We stopped when we found them resting in a clearing.

"Okay. Now would be a good time for a plan." I whispered.

"Why don't we just attack them?" Rika asked.

"Because we need to cordinate ourselves and work together. That's the whole point of this part of the exams. It's almost just like the test Kakashi sensei put us through, just prolonged, and the possibility that we could be killed."

"Okay so we should try to pick out the ones that we'd have the atvantage against. Hiaru, would you be able to tell like their chakara natures with byakugan?" Yukii asked.

"I'll try."

My vision became sharp as I activated byakugan. I went to seeing only shapes and chakara. I tried to concentrait on their chakara. I could only tell the weaker and stronger chakaras. They were all very strong, but I had faith that we were stronger.

"Okay, Yukii you take the one furthest to the right. The one with goggles. I'll take the one on the left. Rika you- Where's Rika!?"

We both looked around. Sharing a glance we both slowly averted our gazes to the clearing where the other team was. There she was. Going to take on the whole team by herself in a giant black wolf form. I facepalmed. "Of course." I looked at Yukii. "Well. Looks like we're just going to have to improvise. Follow my lead."

I put on a terrified face and ran frantically to Rika. "Rika what are you doing?" I asked in a panicked voice.

Rika glanced at me. We held gazes for a moment, then she got it. She smiled evily and growled. Turning back to the other team... who might I say looked a bit terrified.

"W-what do you want?" The girl asked.

"Um. Would you happen to have an earth scroll?" I asked faking being a little more frightened every minute. "We have a heaven scroll, and we need an earth scroll. Rika... she wants an earth scroll. To the point that she'd kill anything in sight to get it... We might be able to get her temper undercontrol if we have both scrolls."

I began to tear up and forced my body to tremble. "Please. I don't want to see you brutally murdered by her."

They all looked even more terrified. Yukii followed my example. "Please! She'll hurt us too. Please spare all our lives and give us an earth scroll!" He said shaking hard.

The girl was shaking so bad she colapsed to her knees. Both boys stood in a battle stance, but were shaking with fear. "H-how do we know you're not fibbing?" The one with goggles asked.

Rika snarled and lunged at him knocking him and his friend to the ground. She growled in their faces and prepared to rip their heads off.

"WAIT!" The girl shouted.

She rummaged through one of the bags and thrust an earth scroll to me. "Please. Please spare us! Don't hurt them." She had tears in her eyes and she was a human avalanche.

I took the scroll from her and walked slowly to Rika. "Rika. Hey it's me Hiaru. Look what we have. We have an earth scroll now! We have both scrolls. Doesn't that make you happy?"

Rika got the hint and huffed. She pushed herself off of the two accident in their pants boys and walked back to the direction we came from. I followed, and we left with the now hopeless team.

The guilt finally hit me, but I held my head up high and strode with confidence. After we were a little ways from the other team we looked at both of our scrolls. Rika had turned back to human form and was grinning like a maniac. Though I'm sure my expression mirrored hers, Yukii had a concentraited look on his face.

"We should have different people hold the scrolls." He said. "If we have them on different people it'll be harder to pick out which one has which."

I beamed at him. "That's brilliant Yukii! So who should hold the earth scroll? I already have the Heaven scroll."

Rika nodded to Yukii. "He should have it." We both stared at her. "What? I would probably lose it if I held it."

I nodded and handed it to Yukii. He took it and stuffed it into his pouch. He got up and began to walk away.

"Where are you going?" I asked.

"Um... Well I kinda have to uh... Do my business."

The word business made it all clear. "Yup you go do your 'business' then." I said waving him off.

After he left Rika and I sat there for a while. The silence was finally broken when she said "I'm going to fo look for food. I'll be back."

"Okay."

Rika truned into a wolf and wondered out into the thick forest. I noticed how the sun was beginning to fall. "Funny. I didn't think it'd get so late so soon."

I sat there cross legged on the ground. "I guess I should build a fire? To keep warm I guess?" I got up and looked around me. "No. Fire would attract attention... Well we could always snuggle up to Rika. Although. It'd probably be safest to sleep in the trees." I whispered to myself.

"Hey."

I turned to find Yukii. Well I thought it was Yukii at first, but the pouch on his leg should've been on the left. Yukii's left handed. This had to be an imposter.

I decided to go along with his game. I had no clue what he did to Yukii. I'd have to catch him off guard. I faked a smile and flipped my hair. "Yukii. I thought you'd never make it back. What took you so long?"

"Oh well you know buisness." Even the voice was deeper than Yukii's.

"Hm. Well Rika's gone for teh moment." I gave him a flirty smile and wrapped my arms around his neck, though he didn't notice the kunai in my sleeve. I got so close to him our noses almost touched. "Now that we're alone." I pressed the kunai to his neck. "You can talk. What have you done with Yukii?"

"What are you talking about? Of course it's me."

"Oh yeah? What's my name?"

He looked stunned, but finally gave up the act. He poofed into a guy with black hair that went straight up, brown eyes, and a scar on his cheek. He smirked. "You're as clever and cunning as they say. Uzumaki."

I pressed harder. "I'll ask once more. Where is my friend?"

The smirk stayed and he crossed his arms. "Why don't you go look?"

"Because I'm not an idiot." I activated byakugan. "There's one of you in a tree to my left. Another in the bushes behind me. Yukii is behind those bushes behind you. You set it up well, but not well enough."

I jumpped back and howled like a wolf. I made it a certain pitch, and length to show a cry of help. Rika would pick up on it immeadiatly. I hoped she could make it here in time.


	11. Chunin Exams Stage 2 part 2

Yeah... wondering how I ended up on my back with the Yukii look-a-like drapped unconsiously over my body?

Well here's what happened. Out of no where Yukii came flying from behind the look-a-like kicking his head and made him topple on me. Yukii didn't have time to help me up, because the other two ninja came out in the open to fight. Yukii was busy fending them off, while I was squirming under the surprisingly heavy body.

I gave another howl. No answer. I howled again. No answer. I gave it all my might & practically screamed. Then very faintly I could hear Rika howl back, followed by two unfamiliar howls from a different direction.

"Yukii. Get this fat ass off of me!" I yelped. The weight from this guy was slowly cruching my lungs. I hate the deprivation of oxygen! I pray I don't die of suffocation!

He turned in my direction, but just didn't have time to help. He did throw one guy who crashed into the guy on top of me shifting him slightly. I continued to wriggle out from under him until I was free. Once I was out and perfectly able to breath I (literally speaking) kicked the last guys ass sending him somewhere into the trees.

"God damn it! What the hell do you eat fatass!? Jesus! Rika! RRRIIIIIKKKKKKAAAA!"

The howl echoed very faintly. She was very far by now. Something was very wrong. Very very very very wrong.

"Yukii. Rika may be in trouble."

"How do we-"

"I'm searching for her." I activated byakugan again and zoomed throughout the forest... or at least in as much of a range as I could see. I could hardly see her from where we were. Like how a person with glasses might see things. I could see a blurry outline, but I knew who it was. Someone was there with her, and judging from the blood, he was the one keeping her at bay.

"Found her. Come on." I ran, I ran as fast as I could. I had a bad feeling. Something told me this wasn't going to end well.

"We're not going to make it Yukii. We need to flash step."

"Hiaru that takes a lot of chakara."

"I have plently. I need you to save your chakara incase of an emergancy. If you run into trouble on the way howl. I'll howl or well yell for you if I desperatley need to."

"Hiaru I-"

I didn't hear the rest as I went on all fours and sped past the blurring trees. Within minutes I could smell Rika... and blood. If it was possible, my heart would have started to beat faster, but it was already pounding in my chest. I stopped and ran up the tree to a large branch where her sent lead. I stood breathless and shakey and faced the new opponent.

Rika was bound, bloody, and many open wounds. She whinned loudly thrashing around, trying to break free of the bonds. I glared at the man who stood over her.

He had long hair tied back into a ponytail, yellow snake-like eyes, tan skin, and a strong, but avarage figure. He smirked at me... Those eyes... I've seen them before... Haven't I?

He chuckled. "Well she finally comes. Long time not see."

I made fists and pinned them to my sides. I had byakugan activated, and was sure to be aware of all of my surroundings. He put a foot on Rika's bloody body and pressed. To the point she thrashed harder and yelped.

I took out a kunai and threw it at him. He caught it easily, but was distracted. I appreared behind him just about to kick him in the back of the head. He turned grabbed my ankle and threw me. I was air borne for two full minutes before slamming into a tree.

I fell out of the crater I made in it and made a quick grab for a branch to sit on. I looked up to where the guy and Rika were just in time to see him kick her visiously across the forest as he did me. I jumped the direction she went, but was stopped by a hand closing around my throat.

I kicked over my head and caught him in the brow. Enough for me to engulf myself in blue fire. He released me, and jumpped back. I turned to face him, my chakara closing to the limit.

I made hand signs "Fire Style: Dance of flames!"

Just as the name bright blue fire shot at him and danced along the bark of the branch, burning it. I aburptly stopped. I needed to conserve chakara. The smoke cleared. The man's figure stood there. My heart skipped a beat, and a cold chill ran down my body.

"Very clever. Beautiful in face. Yes they do seem to be dancing don't they?" He finally came completely out of the smoke. Half of his face was melted, revealing a different face. His skin was chalk white, eyes the same snake-like yellow, and light purple surounding his visible eye.

"Shit." I breathed. Other than the melted face, he seemed to have no other marks of injury. That. Truly. Scared me.

"What else do you have up your sleeve? Hiaru."

WHAT THE HELL!? HE KNOWS MY NAME!? "Who and what the hell are you!?"

His mouth smiled, but his eyes screamed dangerous & creepy. "Certainly you can recall? After all it wasn't too long ago that we met."

"What?" Then it hit me. That night. Those eyes. This perve snuck into my room and did something to me! "What the hell were you doing in my room that night?"

He put a hand on one hip. "Preparing your body for my latest curse mark. You're going to be the first to have it. I even tried to make it to match up with that furball inside."

My hand moved to my back subconsiously.

"Yes. I know about your born jinjuraki. Precisely why I chose you as my next host."

"Host? Fuck you pedophile!" Fire engulfed my fists. "Fire style: Fist of the flame!"

I ran at him full force and swung punches left and right. There was very few that I actually hit him, the rest he blocked or dodged. Damn him! I let my temper take over, making my moved harder and faster, but it also made me a little more reckless. That. Was my mistake.

He grabbed me by the arm, kicked me hard in the stomach, grabbed me by the hair, and threw me against the trunk of the tree. My back slammed into the rough bark. I yelled and began to cough up blood.

Then (being my momentarily stupid self) I finally remembered. I used the last of my strength and Screamed "YUKII!"

I slumped against the bark. I was exhausted, and my limbs felt like lead. The man approached me slowly, then knelt down to my level. "Screaming are we? I don't beleive your little boyfriend will make it in time to help you." he grabbed my chin between his index finger and his thumb tilting my head so we met each others eyes. "You. Are now my property."

I tried to move away, but it was so weak all I ended up doing was shifting closer to the tree. He moved my fallen hair aside and bit down into my neck with sharp fangs. The pain spread throughout my body almost instatntly. the venom felt hot and thick spreading itself into my bloodstream.

I screamed in agony as my body became engulfed with a sering hot pain. He finally pulled away, smiling evily down at me. I couldn't even clutch the source of the pain, but that wasn't the worst part. The worst, most painful part was when the pain reached my lower back. The seal. I was past the point of screaming now. Black spots appeared in my vision and it began to blur.

"Hiaru!" I heard someone yell... it sounded so distant. Like an echo from far away. I tried to look at the silver-headed boy who'd come to my rescue. I saw him lung at my attacker, then everything went completely dark...

**~~Yukii's POV~~**

He layed her down uner the large jutting roots of a tree. It gave shelter as the rain poured down. the events played over in his head. _He'd been running constantly ignoring his muscles protests. He went ahead and did as she asked, but still feared for the one so precious to him._

_He'd been running for no more than 30 minutes, before he heard her. "YUKII!"_

_Every muscle in his body jumped to the sound of her desperate cry of help. He tapped into his chakara flashstepping to her as fast as her could. As he neared her location he could hear her screams of pain._

_Rage burned through him as he ran faster. Suddenly the screams deceiced. He stopped on a branch to see a man standing over her. She looked beaten to a bloody pulp, and absolutely exhausted. "Hiaru!" he yelled._

_He lunged for the man, but the older one dodged him and punched him in the stomach. Yukii doubled over. The man grabbed the boy by the hair and gripped the boy's wrists behind his back. "Now. Listen to me carefully boy. You are going to tell no one about this. No one. You did not see me. We did not have this conversation." Yukii struggled under the man's firm grip. "If you decide to go against my orders I will kill the wolf girl as well as your family."_

_"How do you think it would feel? To see your little brother's blood splatered on the walls, along with your mother and father?" he taunted. "I could also make you pay quite dearly for it physically as well. Or" Yukii could feel him smile evily against his ear. He whispered "I could do all sorts of arousing things to your presious girl."_

_Yukii snapped. His sharingan flared to life, and his chakara had suddenly come back from somewhere. He sprang up, kicking, punching, just acting in complete instinct. Water poured out from his hands. "Water Style: Hurricane!"_

_The water shot at the man like a tornado. Water just seemed to blow off of Yukii like atomic bombs. His chakara finally wore down, and the water works stopped. The man was gone. Hiaru (now soaked to the bone) layed lifelessly against the tree's trunk._

_He stumbled over to her, she was alive. He held her in his arms and put his cheek on her head. "God Hiaru I'm so sorry I wasn't here in time." He pulled away when something started to burn him. It was a mark on her neck that was glowing in blue. He gently touched it and immeadiatly pulled away. She was burning up very rapidly. "What did he do to you?"_

Yukii changed the wet cloth on her forehead with a new one. Hiaru was breathing shallowly. It was obvious she was in pain, he just didn't know what to do about it. He had nothing to make ice with to maybe try to bring down the fever more. All he could think of to do at the moment was use water.

Where was Rika? What had happened? He put his face in his hands. "Damn it! I should've gone ahead with her! Damn it damn it damn it!" he said to himself. He removed his hands and stared off into the distance.

_"If you run into anything howl." _Her voice echoed in his mind. He sucked in a breath and howled. Two howls came in response, but he didn't know if one of them was Rika or not. _Damn._

He took a drink of his water pouch. "Well... What happens now?"

**~~Rika's POV~~**

Rika woke up on the ground, aching and bloody. There were ropes hanging loosely on her. She breifly recalled her fight with the man that wanted Hiaru. She shifted into human form taking all of the ropes off of her and stumbled through the forest.

She didn't know where she was going. She was just following the sound of water. She reached the river and just fell in it. She layed at the bottom of the river taking in it's ice cold flow. Suddenly dying from the lack of oxygen she stood and colapsed on the bank.

_The little girl hid behind the fallen book case. The man stood over her butchered family. His hair sliked up, and red eyes that peirced her soul. She shook with fear, but was careful to be quiet. She shifted only making the floor boards creak very quietly. The man's eyes turned on her, glowing in the dark of the night_.

Rika woke up on a palete in a cave. There was a fire made beside her with fish cooking over it. She sat up feeling a bit groggy, and sore, but otherwise fine. She streatched and yawned.

"Well. Have a good nap?"

She jumped at the sound of an unfamiliar voice. Jumpping up and crouching down ready to attack. The very hansom boy raised a brow, but didn't seem threatened.

Hey had light blonde hair tied back into a pony tail, long bangs covering his right eye, and he had blue eyes. He was wearing a black short sleeved shirt with fishnet underneath, black pants, ninja shoes, the normal pouches along with an additional pouch on his right side.

"Who are you?" She asked tilting her head to the side.

He smirked. "My name is Diasuke. Yours?"

"Rika."

"Well Rika. While you were dying of hypathermia in the river, I decided to bring you here where you could recover. How'd you end up beaten and in the river anyways?"

"None of your beeswax... Why did you save me?"

He looked away. After a long moment of silence he finally answered. "Because... You... You're kinda... Pretty."

Shock struck through her. Pretty? _Pretty!? He thinks I'm pretty!?_ She thought. That was something Rika was DEFINATLEY not use to hearing. Just his words sent butterflies in her stomach. She'd never felt this way with anyone... maybe similar to how Hiaru made her feel, but this was on a whole different level.

He smirked again. "You're blushing."

She felt her face heat up more. "Sh-shut up." she said crossing her arms.

"Hm. Well you were asleep all through the night. Do you know where your team is?"

Oh shit. Rika'd forgotten about Hiaru! She jumped and ran to the mouth of the cave and howled. No answer. She howled louder. Still no answer. She turned to Daisuke whom had gotten up and followed her. "I think Hiaru's in trouble."

"What happened?"

She then started talking to herself. "No no she just probably got knocked out. Sh-she can't be dead or anything. They'll come... She'll find me... She had to be okay." she muttered franntically.

"Rika." Daisuke put a hand on her arm, and pulled back when she swipped claws at him. He saw the look in her eyes like dark in the light. "I'll go find her. What does Hiaru look like?"

She came back breifly only to understand what he needed. She reached in the collar of her shirt and pulled out a locket. She shakily handed it to him and walked deeper in the cave curling into a ball.

He opened the locket. A picture of Rika and a blonde girl stared back at him. He took one last look at Rika before heading off to find Hiaru.

**~~Yukii's POV~~**

He woke up to the sound of something cracking, a scream of pain from a guy, and the thud of a body. Yukii bolted up from his place on the ground. Hiaru stood over a guy who had an oddly angled neck. She was surrounded by a red and blue aura making it purple in certain places.

Another was sprawled on the ground a few feet from her. The last one stood ready to take her on. Yukii found himself shaking. It was the air around her. It screamed bloodlust. He got up and stared. Her hair fell free down her back, her skin was still bruised and cut in some places.

He bolted to her. He wrapped his arms around her, pinning her arms to her sides. "Hiaru." he whispered. "Stop. It's okay. You can stop now. Calm down. Hiaru." He hated that his voice was shaking. Out of fear, but not of her, but for her.

Hiaru put her hands on his arms and let her head fall. He felt her hot tears padding on his arms. The aura dissapated and she slumpped slightly in his arms. "Oh God. Yukii. What have I done? What have I done?" She whispered.

He hugged her tighter. "Shhh." She turned and buried her face in his neck. Yukii turned his gaze to the remaining foe, who still quaked in fear. "Take your commrads bodies and leave." he said firmly.

The guy picked up his fallen commrads and fled. Yukii squeesed Hiaru harder, so afraid that if he let her go she'd slip away again. He buried his face in her hair, taking in her sent. She oddly reminded him of cinimon and sugar. She had that smell of cinimon, but it was almost sweet. He'd just identifyed it a cinimon and sugar.

Finally she pulled away whipping her tears, and composing herself. She looked around. "Where's Rika?" He paled a bit.

"I... Don't know."

She looked like she was about to lose it, but sucked in a breath. She held it for a while, then let it out in a loud howl. They waited... and waited... No answer. "Damn." she said. "Okay do you remember where you found me? The last place I know where Rika was, is there. Maybe I can catch her sent."

"The rain wouldn't be an issue with that right?"

"Well yeah. It would wash away the sent the blood. The only way I could find her is-" She looked down finally noticing the moist ground. She sniffed the air. "Shit. It rained. There may be a chance I can catch her sent, but it'll be extremely faint."

"Well we have both scrolls. We just have to find Rika head to the arena and we're good."

"Um... not exactly."

"What?"

She removed her pouch from her belt. It had been cut open with nothing left in it. "So where's the scroll?"

She looked down and pointed behind her to the right. "It's that pile of ashes over there... I accidently burnt it fighting those guys."

"Hiaru!"

"I'm sorry I had no control of myself! I hardly knew where I was Yukii!"

He took a breath. "You're right. It's okay. We'll get a new one."

"Also we kinda only have today and tomorrow to get to the arena."

"WHAT!?"

"The people who attacked us happened to mention it."

"Son of a- We need to get things moving _fast_. Other wise we aren't going to pass these exams! Ok find Rika, then we go and try to find another scroll."

"That won't be necessary." a new voice said. They turned to the new comer. He had light blonde hair pulled up in a pony tail, bangs over his right eye, and blue eyes. He pointed to the girl. "You are Hiaru yes?"

"I am." she said causiously.

"Good. I know where Rika is. She refused to leave the cave until you came. She seems to... Not be all there if you know what I mean."

"You know where Rika is?"

"Yes." He pulled out a locket from his pocket. "When I asked something to go by to find you she gave me this."

She recognlized it. It was the locket she'd given Rika for her birthday last year. It was a symbol of their friendship. Hiaru walked to him and held out her hand. He gently placed the locket in her palm.

Hiaru pulled her matching locket from under her shirt, and put the two together making a soft click. She opened them and it played a tune. Their tune. She stared at the heart shaped lockets. When the two peices were put together they read _"Sisters Together Forever"_. Hiaru realized she'd lost her train of thought and came back to earth.

"Where is she?"

"Follow me."

Hiaru didn't really trust the new comer, but she had no other leads to Rika. She needed Rika. Yukii, being very causious of the stranger as well was sure to keep his guard up on high alert. They followed the blonde through the forest and came to a cave. Sure enough Yukii could hear Rika's mutters echo throughout the cave.

**~~Hiaru's POV~~**

Her sent was all over the mouth of the cave. I walked in, and stoped short. Rika was talking to a wall. It seemed like she just drew random faces with blood on the rough rock. "Rika?"

Her head snapped to me. Releif flooded her features. She jumped to me and squeesed the ever living out of me. "Yeah. Nice to see you too Rika... Let go now please." I rasped.

She released me and hopped right over to the blonde guy and hugged him too. "Thank you Daisuke!" she said.

Now that I had me friend safe and sound, I really wanted to know just exactly who this Diasuke guy was. And... What was his motive for reuniting us with Rika... and why did he save her? She was too bloodied and beaten, and I doubt she just randomly landed in this cave, seeing as she flew south and this cave is more southwest from where the guy assulted us.

Another thing... Where in the hell are we going to get another heaven scroll?

"Hiaru? Hiaru?" Rika was waving her hand in front of my face. "You there?"

I blinked a few times. "Um yeah."

"Okay well I was just saying we should bring Daisuke with us!"

"What!?" I just couldn't stop the surprise appearing in my voice.

"Well I figured since he's helped us out this far, he could come with us to the arena."

"Umm. Well. Rika there's a few problems with that... One being-"

"We no longer have a heaven scroll." Yukii finished.

"What? What happened to it."

Anger suddenly flared in my stomach. Yukii looked to me. I sighed. "I- I accidentaly burned it. Okay."

"What? How?"

"Look it's not important at the moment. The issue at hand is that we find another scroll."

"I have an extra one." Daisuke piped up. He held up two heaven scrolls. He tossed to Rika. I took it as a sign he didn't trust us either.

"Thanks again Diasuke!" She looked back at me, then I saw it. I knew that look. She likes him. It use to be only a look reserved for me. It was a look of love. Now it took an even stronger form. We have a love like sisters, but now... I think she may be crushing on Diasuke.

Jelousy burned through my veins. I had her full attention and affection, now I would end up sharing her attention with another. Despite myself I felt selfish, no wanting to share one so presious to me. My sister. My closest friend.

_I really am just selfish and greedy. I need to do the right thing. Even if it means I'm a little less happier. Rika deserves to be happy._

I put on a smile. "Yeah. Thanks Diasuke. I agree with Rika. We'd be happy to have you and your team walk with us to the arena, well run I mean 'cause we're kinda like miles away from the arena now."

Rika beamed at me. A sign I took as her thanking me. I smiled for her, thought my heart grew heavey in my chest. Though I'd let them be near, I will not for an instant let my guard down. One wrong move and he's gone.

Yukii and I met each others eyes. The message was clear. We both would be on guard. Though I don't think he understood why I'd invited the stranger along. I'd be sure to explain to him later. Diasuke walked outside the cave, we followed. Rika ran to walk beside Diasuke. Yukii and I slowed our steps so we could talk.

"Why'd you invite him?"

"Because Rika likes him. That look in her eyes. I couldn't deny her silent pleads Yukii."

"You don't look happy."

"No I'm afraid not. I don't trust him, but if it makes her happy."

"What about your happiness?"

"When it comes to Rika, my own feelings don't matter. In my eyes it's her happiness that matters. Right now... I can see it. She's happy. That's all that I can ask ever ask for."

Yukii didn't seem very happy with my assesment, but at the moment I didn't care. I stopped. "Are you going to show yourself anytime soon? I'm not very patient for attacks today. If you're going to assult us then get it over with already." I said aloud staring at the person crouched in the bushes.

The boy... okay kinda boy more leaning to adult stood. His white-silver hair long, to his shoulder blades was pulled into a low ponytail. He had black eyes, and glasses. He smirked. "Sorry. It's just your friend there puts me on edge. Afterall he is apart of the Akatsuki."

Every cell in my body came to a hault. Akatsuki? I looked at his hands. To my knowledge all members had a ring with a certain sign on it. Yes. It was very similar to Itachi and Kisame's rings. The guy was right. Diasuke was part of Akatsuki. "Is it true Diasuke?" I asked, though I new the answer I wondered if he'd admit to it.

He took a step away from Rika. "Yes. I am. Due to my age I never got the chance to become a chunin. Leader allowed me to participate in this years exams."

"Where's your team?"

"Already at the arena waiting for me. We'd gotten done on the first day, and I took that as a chance to explore the forest."

"Then you found Rika. I'm sorry, but I'll allow no Akatsuki member near my best friend."

"Yes. It's been obvious that you and your friend didn't trust me from the start. I can take a hint." He turned to Rika. "Farewell Rika."

"Bu- Diasuke!" She turned to me now angry. "See what you did! Why couldn't you trust him? Even if he's apart of Akatsuki!"

"Rika you haven't experienced Akatsuki like I have! You don't know what they're capable of!"

"Yeah yeah. You know best you know everything. Yeah I know you're better than everyone around you Hiaru I know!"

"I wasn't saying that Rika! I was only worried for your safety!"

"DON'T WORRY ABOUT MY SAFETY! I CAN TAKE CARE OF MYSELF!"

"Well how else do I keep you out of trouble!?"

"Stop being such a control freak!"

"I'm not!"

"Hiaru, Rika stop it! Rika, Hiaru has a point. She's only worried about you being hurt. She was trying to protect you."

"You always take her side Yukii. It's always about her it's never about me and what I want!"

"YOU ARE SO SELFISH!" he yelled suddenly. "YOU'RE SO BLIND YOU CAN'T SEE THAT HIARU HAS BEEN PUTTING IN EVERY EFFORT SHE CAN INTO YOU RIKA. SHE DIDN'T WANT HIM NEAR YOU, BECAUSE HE PROPOSED TO BE A POSSIBLE THREAT. HE IS RIKA. HE'S APART OF AKATSUKI. HE'S A CRIMINAL!"

Rika lunged at him with huge claws dragging them down his face in a quick swipe. "RIKA!" I screamed and shoved her off of him. I stopped and stared at her. She wasn't a wolf. No. She was a leporde. She stared at Yukii with wide eyes.

"Well. This is a lot of drama from a group." the stranger spoke up.

I ignored him. "Rika. Look at me." she continued to stare at Yukii's now bloodied face. "Rika. Look. At. me." She tore her eyes from him to me. She was frightened, and extremely guilty. Taking a breath and letting it out I tooked at her calmingly. "It's not your fault." I began healing Yukii with one hand while looking at Rika.

"Shh. Come here. It's okay." hesitantly she came to me. I wrapped my free arm around her. "That's a girl." I scratched that seceret place behind her ear, she began purring. "It's not your fault. You didn't mean to, I know. It's not your fault." I put just a dab of my fox's chakara into Yukii to heal his face faster. Hopefully he won't scare, but the blow certainly put in into unconsiousness.

I released her, and hitched Yukii on my back. I smiled at Rika, to put her more at ease. "We should hurry to the arena. We only have a few more hours until time's up. To be exact we have 17 hours. If we run we should make it in about 15-16 hours."

Rika looked down, still sad and guilty, but got ready to run. "So that's it for the drama then? Good. Now we can get a move on."

I glared at the stranger. A gust of wind blew past him to me. My body went still again. I know that sent. He smells like the man who bit me. Who cursed me with this burning mark. "What are your relations with him?"

"Hm? I don't beleive I know what you mean."

Rika and I shared a look. We both knew he was lying. We both recognized that sent anywhere now. I looked back at him. "I think you know exactly who we're talking about. I don't trust you. Not in the slightest. Don't follow us, and don't by any means try to attack us. I won't hesitate to rip your head off." I turned to Rika once more. "Let's go."

We both flash-stepped to the arena. Somewhere on the way Yukii woke up. He haddn't a clue on what had happened. Only that Rika pounced on him and knocked him to the ground. Thankfully his face wasn't scarred... Just... a little bruised... kinda. (**Shhhhhhh!)**.

It took hours, but Rika and I ran nonstop until we'd reached the arena. Once we were there I let Yukii walk on his own, and we walked in. and stopped at an... old... um riddle? _What is it with these people and riddles!?_

Yukii took out his scroll, Rika transformed back into a human and took out the scroll Diasuke gave us. Though I was still emotionally hurt by what she said, I would be sure to talk about all of this with her when we were done with these exams.

"I- I'm just guessing, not meaning to take any kind of control at all, but I think we should open the scrolls at the same time."

Yukii and Rika both looked at me. "Yeah. I guess that makes sense." Rika said. _At least she's making an effort._

Yukii and Rika both counted. "1, 2,...3" both scrolls opened and crossed like an 'X'. There was a poof and Shikamaru sensei stood before us. "Congradulations. You finally made it. What took you guys so long?" he teased. From then I blocked out just about everything he said from there. I was just totally drained. I no longer felt the need to stay consious to the world.

"Hey. Hey! Are you listening?" I looked up at him. He glared at me. "Man. You really should listen to things Hiaru. I was just explaining bla bla bla bla blabla bla bla bla." That's all I heard after that. "You get it?"

"Yeah. Sure."

He rolled his eyes. "Okay. moving on then. Now it's time to get you to the arena. Follow me."


	12. Chunin Exams Stage 2 part 3

Shikamaru sensei lead us through a hallway to this really big arena. People were scattered about in their teams. I spotted Kakashi Sensei up on the second level, which looked like a place for people to watch. It was obvious we were going to fight each other here. I briefly recalled my dad telling me about his experience here. Yes. He stood up there, and watched his friends fight their foes. Some lost, others won.

We were called to attention. A man with brown hair, a... beanyish type thing on his head, And the usual vest for chunins. I cease describing him any further. "Attention! We have only an hour left until we start the matches. Please form lines of your team members and align in your numbers."

We all got in lines. I sat down, just for the hell of it. Fuck them. I'm tired. I sighed and looked around. Two faces stuck out to me the most. That white haired guy and Diasuke. I reverted my gaze to the ground. If I keep doing that I'm only going to stir up anger.

Rika layed down and put her head on my thigh. I knew I couldn't stay mad at her... Never for long anyways. I began absently playing with her long dark hair. As the hour went by I had her hair in a nice french braid and used one of my hair ties to keep it in place. I braided by hair as well, so it would keep out of my way.

Finally they called us to attention. We stood and straightened our lines ready to begin. My father poofed in front of us. His face told me he was in business mode. "Genin. Welcome. This is the final part of this stage of the exams. The only rules are only the two people chosen to fight with each other can do so. Others aren't allowed to intervene, otherwise they face disqualification. When fighting your opponent, you may use any type of jutus. The only rule on that is that you don't kill your opponent. Doing so will also get you disqualified. Do I make myself clear?"

There was a scatter of 'Yes' or 'Yeah's through out the group.

"Alright then. One more thing. If you feel you would not like to proceed, then now is the time to forfeit. If you do so you and your team go back home. Is there anyone who'd like to leave at this moment so we can proceed?" A guy raised his hand. His team looked angry with him, but in the end decided to leave. No one else moved. "Alright please proceed to the balconys with your senei if they are present, then we will pick at random who have the honor of going first."

People walked, jumped, and some even poofed to the upper level. I was walking to the stairs, when someone put a hand on my shoulder. I looked back at my father. He smiled sweetly. "Hiaru. We need to take care of that immediately. Kakashi will take you to get it sealed."

Somehow I knew what he was talking about. "H- How'd you know?"

His eyes almost looked sad. "I know just about everything that happened in that forest. Now go. I'd hurry and get it over with before you battle." I nodded.

Kakashi stood to the side of the room next to a door. I ran to catch up with him, and we walked down the hall.

~~Yukii's POV~~

He watched the board as it went through names. Finally it slowed and picked the two 'lucky' ones. He didn't recognize either of the names, but that didn't stop him from being interested. The winner of each match is a potential foe at the final exams. His father had told him all about the exams.

This was only the second stage. The third stage was said to be the true test. The strongest, against the strongest. In that level of the exams killing is allowed. Not how they won't allow killing in this test. He would be sure to watch every match, memorize each winners techniques, and prepare himself for each of them, so he will be ready to take on anyone he get's pared with.

He watched carefully. Studying each move with close eye. The two seemed evenly matched, so the battle seemed to drone on. Yukii had no idea how long they'd been fighting. It was only when the winner, someone named Kogura, did he realize the fight had taken nearly an hour. Then another thought came to mind. Where are Hiaru and dad?

He looked around the arena. They were nowhere to be found. He turned to Rika "Hey do you know where dad and Hiaru went?"

She glared at him and looked back at the arena floor. He inwardly sighed. She still hasn't forgiven him. Unlike Hiaru, who she could only stay mad at for a while, Yukii wasn't as hard to be angry at. He rolled his eyes and looked to the board. A name did faintly come to mind. Yukii thought he should know the name. "Tenji?"

"So Hiaru's cousin made it after all." Rika muttered.

~~Third Person's POV~~

Hiaru left her tank top on while Kakashi drew a sealing circle around her. He came to stand behind her. "Will it hurt?" she asked.

"Yes. It will, I'm afraid it's unavoidable."

"That's okay. I just want this to hurry so I don't miss Yukii or Rika fight. Sensei. Things between the three of us... It's gotten really bad. I- I almost don't know if it's fixable."

He put a hand on my shoulder. "Hiaru. You and Rika are best friends. Yukii has grown fond of you as well. I'm sure just using that specialness you have will bring you all back together."

"Specialness?"

"Yes. Your father has it too. Just being around him changes people for the better. I'm sure you could use that to get everyone to put the past behind them."

She smiled. "Thank you Kakashi Sensei." She took a deep breath, bracing herself. "I'm ready."

"Alright. Relax your body, and take deep breaths."

She did as he commanded. He put his hands over the mark, he said something, but Hiaru didn't have time to process it. Pain shot through her body. She screamed in pain. It was over in a matter of minutes. She felt sore, and tired, but refused to pass out.

She breathed deeply, eager to ease the tension out of her muscles. Kakashi held her upright. "I'm surprised you didn't pass out. You need to rest."

"I... Need... To be there before one of their matches start."

"Still so worried about that pet of yours?" The voice sent chills down my spine. Kakashi and I both whipped around to see him. Long black hair that went past his shoulders, snake like yellow eyes with light purple designs on them, a long pale pale face, everything about him creeped me out.

Kakashi jumped up, suddenly on very high guard. Hiaru shook her head as the images began to blur. The pain came back. She gripped her shoulder, clawing at it, grunting in agony.

Kakashi looked from the man to Hiaru and back to the man. "Stop it. Stop this now." he demanded.

Hiaru dug her sharp nails into her skin, causing blood to slowly dribble down her chest and back. She was breathing harder now, tears escaped her eyes. Kakashi was completely dumbfounded. "STOP IT!" He yelled.

The pain suddenly stopped, and Hiaru completely collapsed to the ground. She took in the cold stone floor, taking deep shaky breaths. Kakashi stared hard at the man. "How are you able to do that? I sealed it!"

"And that didn't work well with Sasuke either. It defiantly won't work on her. I used a completely different mark for her. A newer, stronger one, and I even added a little feature for that little kit inside of her."

Hiaru pushed herself up with shaky arms and legs. Glaring at the man, she stuck her chin in the air. Trying to look strong. "I don't have time for your games snake man. I have a match to watch. I don't intend on missing it. Now. I'd suggest you leave. I don't take crap from anyone, I won't take any from you either. So listen up clown boy. Quit toying with me. I'm not interested in playing. I have business to do." She strolled out of the room, grabbing her shirt and coat on her way.

"What makes you think I'll let you go that easily?" He asked sending a sharp burn through her veins.

She turned back to him. "I didn't, but your persistence won't stop me. No matter what you try to do to me." She tapped into the fox's chakara and tried to block the mark with it. It did at least ease the pain. "Like I said. I don't like games. Especially when I know I'm at fault. I'll be going now." Slipping her shirt on she walked out with her jacket on her shoulder.

"She's a brave one. I'll give her that."

"Orochimaru. What is it that you seek from her? She has nothing to offer you! She has no ties to immortality."

"Wrong. She has a tie to a long lasting life. Because her DNA's mixed with the tailed beast it makes her body able to take on more hits and force than a normal human being. Also being half demon she has an extended life span of 500 years or more. Then when her body withers, the fox will take control and break free entirely, roaming freely though out the world. She's the perfect host. Taking her body would increase the amount of time I have in each body, and by that time I'll have figured out a way to gain complete immortality."

Kakashi stood there in shock. It was all so ... accurate sounding. Would Hiaru live to be 500? Something like this only happened once. A child of a junjuraki with the beast's DNA. Kakashi haddn't read how old the man lived to be, nor did her know where to find that information. How is it that Orochimaru knew?

Orochimaru smirked evilly. "If you're wondering how I've calculated all of that so accurately, here's you answer." he held up a very old looking book. Kakashi could barely make out the title. It read "Diary of Dunantuke" Who was Dunantuke?

"I have all of the information I needed from it." he tossed the book to Kakashi. "I have no use for it any longer. Until next time Kakashi Hatake." he poofed away.

Kakashi picked up the worn book. He glared at it. Angry he didn't do anything just now. He just let him talk. He knew one thing. He'd have to keep an eye on Hiaru, and he would have to train her harder. He must get her ready in case she may have to face him.

~~Hiaru's POV~~

I walked in the arena, and made a quick leap to the balcony. Yukii glanced at me then straight back to the battle. "Where'd you go?"

"Some business I had to take care of." I looked to the fight. To my surprise Tenji was on. By the looks of it, he was losing. "Hey Tenji!"

He glanced my way. I smiled at him. "Come on! You can do it! Hey after the exams, when we kick our opponents butts me and you can spare. We can see how strong the other's gotten. Only if you kick his ass though!"

He actually laughed, shaking his head. "Sure. I'd never pass the chance to kick your ass to the ground!" I winked at him.

As the fight went on Tenji began to take the lead. I cheered for him the whole way. People began making comments to me. I gave them the finger.

Tenji finally took the other guy down. He was announced as the winner and walked as stuck up as his father up the stairs. I laughed slightly. "He hasn't changed much."

The next names came up. Kani vs. Rika. My heart skipped a beat. Man. This was going to be interesting. I turned to Rika "Good luck." She nodded at me and jumped over the rail.

Rika and Kani shook hands, both glad to fight each other. I watched as they began their battle. Rika took on a newer form, a snow leopard. I watched in wonder as she fought Kani and her wolf. I couldn't take my eyes off of her. Somehow just the swift moves of her muscles sent waves of power throughout the room.

I suddenly felt nauseous. I also felt a set of eyes on me. I met eyes with a chunin across the room. His long black hair was pulled back into a ponytail, his pale skin contracted with his eyes. Yellow eyes like a snake. I felt something within me growl, though I'd made no sound.

He smirked at me. I gripped the rail so hard my knuckles turned white. Then. The pain came. It was a white hot sering pain that started from the mark and bleed throughout my body. I gripped the rails harder, forcing myself not to scream or wince. As the pain increased, the man's eyes seemed to glow.

I took deep breaths, and turned back to the fight. I needed to watch her. I want to see her win in all of her unseen glory. The Rika I know will be seen as strong. She will be seen, not as an outcast, but as apart of our village. She's my best friend. A little pain won't stop me from watching her win this fight.

Stop it! I will not allow you to distract me. Focus Hiaru. Focus.

Slowly, but gradually the pain receded. Kani was thrown to the wall, her wolf following her. The dust cleared, and I saw it. Rika had that insane look in her eyes. A chill went down my back. At this state she might kill Kani.

"Rika! Snap out of it!" I yelled. She didn't seem to hear me. I almost jumped the rail if Yukii haddn't grabbed my arm.

"Hiaru. You both will get disqualified." he stated.

I didn't realize I was still squeezing the railing until it broke and I was holding a chunk in my fists. I stared at my hands, then back at Rika. "Yukii. The thing is, is that I don't really care."

I tried to jump over the railing again, but this time Yukii wrapped his arms around me and held me back. I watched as Rika threw Kani across the arena like a rag doll. Kani's wolf had passed out a while ago, and Kani was on the verge of unconsciousness herself. Kani tried to get up, but fell back to the ground. I struggled in Yukii's grip. "Yukii let go." I begged. "She's going to kill her. Let go!"

Kani finally passed out, but Rika in her state of mind was going for the kill. The referee had given the victory to Rika, then looked quite confused as she kept on walking to Kani. "Yukii. Let her go. She can enterveine now. The match is over." Kakashi said.

Yukii released me, and I hopped over the rail and sprinted to Rika. She heard me coming and turned on me. Automatically I crouched down and tried to calm her a bit. "Rika. Rika it's over now. You can stop." She growled at me. I wasn't sure how a snow leopard's nature was. I'd only studied in wolves to communicate with Rika, but now... Now I had no way to get through to her. I stood and walked to her, very slowly, and very steadily.

"Rika. It's your best friend Hiaru. You don't have to fight me. It's okay." She growled and swiped at me. Her claws caught the front of my shirt, three long gashes flooding with blood spilled from the ripps. I held my stomach and jumped back.

I winced at the pain, but was sure to keep my guard up. She circled me, a sign that ment I was now her prey. I kept my eyes on her, not sure how to handle the situation.

Yukii jumped down from the balcony and jumped between Rika and I. "Rika cut it out. The fights over. You don't have to be pissy and turn on Hiaru."

Rika growled menecingly and hissed. I smacked Yukii on the arm. "You're not helping!"

My eye caught two blondes fighting on the balcony. Diasuke and a similar, but older looking blonde with a darker shade of blonde hair heatedly arguing. Daisuke turned and we locked gazes. We stared at each other for a full minute.

I hated letting him anywhere near her, but... she needed him. As much as I hated having to let go, she finally has a liking to someone that's not me. She likes him. He's apart of her life now, Akatsuki or not, he's involved.

I gave him the breifest of nods and glared, defeated at the floor. He jumped down from the balcony, and crept causiously to Rika.

"Hey!" Yukii began to object. I grabbed his arm, not taking my eyes off of the floor.

"It's okay. Let him. He's the only one to snap her out of it at this state." I said, in a little depressed tone.

Sure enough all he had to do was talk to her, the same as I'd done, and Rika was back. I could feel the dark jelousy enclosing my heart. I loved her like a sister, and sometimes it's hard to let a sister go. God knows it was hard for me.

I didn't bother looking back up at Rika, though by this point I could feel her eyes on me. I turned and jumped up on the balcony. Washing my face of all expression, I sat down and leaned against the wall. Yukii and Rika joined Kakashi and I a second later. Rika cast me a glance, I ignored her and stared into space.

People got called, they fought, I wasn't really paying attention. I kinda drifted in and out of sleep. The marks on my stomach had healed to just pick scratches. Thankfully I wasn't wearing my jacket at the time, so it was just the shirt and tank that were ripped.

"Hiaru." Kakashi said getting my attention. I looked up at him, he was pointing to the board. Hiaru VS. Kabanto .

"Oh. I guess it's my turn." I said getting up. I stretched and jumped down the balcony. I met the silver haired guy that snitched Diasuke. "So you're name is Kabanto?" I asked.

"Opponents shake."

Kabanto and I shook hands, and the refferee started the match. "Actually that's my cover name. My real name is Kabuto." He said still looking friendly.

"So why the cover up?"

He snickered "Oh my boss gave you that charming mark on your neck. I was ordered to fight you."

Cold shock swept through me. I glanced at dad. His face mirrored my shock, then anger. He began talking to an assistant near him. I turned back to Kabuto. "I see. Is that why you're using that disguise to make you look like a teenager?"

He chuckled. "Very clever. I do beleive we have a fight to comense." he said pushing up his glasses.

He came at me without hesitation. Quickly activating my byakugan, I barely dodged it. I spun trying for a kick, but he caught it with a hand covered in chakara. I felt pain as my foot went numb and useless.

I jerked away, but fell ungracefully on my butt. I quickly jumped out of the way as he went for me again, and again, and again. He was tiring me out, and I knew it, but I couldn't use my foot. I had no feeling mid shin down. I dodged as best I could, then fell into his trap. I dodged a chakara fuled punch, but went right into the kick he sent into my stomach.

I flew for a moment, then half skidded, half rolled and crashed into a wall. I stayed down until the stars subsided, then pushed myself up. One leg completely useless, dizzy, and the limited movement, I was at a big disatvantage.

Think Hiaru think! Come on fight back. "Hiaru!" I looked up at Rika. She held up speakers and touched her ipods screen. "Take One Last Breath" came on.

I felt my mind begin to flow with the beat. I calmed a little more and let my body move by itself. Kabuto came in for a punch in the stomach, but I twirled and landed a blow to a pressure point in his back. One arm went immobile.

We both switched to taijutsu, he using one arm and two legs, me with two arms and one leg. Finally I couldn't take the exhaustion and jumped several feet back. I quickly made hand signs "Fire style: Dancing Dragons."

Fire erupted from my hands and attacked Kabuto in a swift move, they twirled around him as he swerved to dodge the powerful flames. I finally let up the dragons and made hand signs for something else. I didn't have a name for this move, but I'd been working on it in my free time. My body was covered in flames, making me untouchable.

My chakara was burning up. I was still using the chakara to block the mark from giving me agonizing pain like it had before. I had to finish this quickly. I couldn't afford to lose now. Not when I'd gotten so far.

Kabuto walked calmly out of the smoke my dragons made. The little bastard was smirking. "Oh Hiaru. You're going to have to do a lot better than that to beat me."

I began to feel tingling in my foot. Like it was asleep. I was getting some feeling at least. I squatted and held up my arms, ready to jump or hit at any moment.

He put his moving hand on his hip, taunting me with how relaxed he was. "Hn. You look exactly like your mother. Shame you killed her." I felt a tug at my heart. "You just took her life so you could have yours. How selfish." A chair fell down, I was sure it was dad, but I couldn't tear my eyes from Kabuto. "Your father's hated you for taking her life from the start. Why do you think he makes excuses to not be around you?" Well he's at the office a lot for over time. He's toying with you Hiaru! "Then there's that brother of yours. Hating his family he runs away with bandits, making him as much as a criminal in murder as you."

I felt my heart blackening, as much as I tried to tell myself he was just fucking with my emotions, it still brought up long buried guilt. "I mean the whole original reason he left was because of you. You're the one who completely ruined his whole life. You're the one who tipped him over the edge."

That's when I fell into the blackness. The pain and guilt engulfed me. Next thing I knew I was standing in front of a large cadge, two large red eyes staring down at me. Let me ease your pain. Let me seek revenge for the both of us it spoke. I stood motionless as red chakara swirled from behind the bars and wrapped around me. Everything went black, all I felt after that was... rage.

~~ third persons POV~~

Hiaru's flames dispursted from around her body, but was replaced by red chakara, and the mark from her neck spreading through out her body. She blurred toward him lightning fast, punching him in the face, sending him sailing to the wall.

He didn't make it before she was there to kick him in the air. Once he was air borne she leaped up and sent attacks from all sides to him, finishing with a hard kick to the ground.

He cratered the floor, sending small quakes thorugh the building. Hiaru wasn't finished yet. She landed beside him, picking him up by a chakara tail and throwing him across the room once more. Everyone could hear the loud crack as his head hit the floor and his body twisting in an odd angle.

Gasps erupted throughout the room, but Hiaru wasn't fooled. She could still see the chakara flowing though his body, and the beating of his heart. She gathered chakara in her hand, her own blood mixing in with it, making the ball turn black.

It shrank, and just as she released it, Naruto jumped in front of her and caught it, using his own Kyuubi. He grunted as it made it's impact, but he disbursted it. He looked at her with a sad expression. "Hiaru." He whispered.

Hiaru recognized the Kyuubi within him, but had no recognition of the human in front of her. She growled at him and tried to attack. He caught her and pinned her to the floor. The kyuubi within him growled "Stop this at once. The fight is done, cease your violent fit and go back into the cadge." .

Hiaru growled angrily and snapped, but receded back to her cell. Hiaru colapsed against Naruto. He ingored the smoking heat of her skin and held her tight. "Shhhhh. It's okay. It's okay." He mumured as she shook with fear.

Naruto looked over his shoulder at Kabuto. A medical ninja checking him gave Naruto a thumbs up. He was alive. Naruto turned back to his daughter and hugged her a bit tighter. "Shhhh. rest now Hiaru. You won. He's not dead. Just a broken neck by the looks of it. It's okay. I've got you."

Her trembles died down as she let herself go unconsious. He wrapped his coat around her to cover her tatered shirt and pants, picked her up, and walked to the medical center himself.

Yukii and Rika both stared after the too. Kakashi put a hand on his son's shoulder, a sign that everything would be okay. Rika glanced at the father and son with envey. She haddn't a family in the world. The closest thing she had was Hiaru. Even now Rika could see a split coming between the friends.

While Kabuto was taken to the infirmery, she stared at the crater in the ground. The next set of people was picked, they met in the center of the ring, and comensed their battle.

~~Naruto's POV~~

He sat the girl down on the white bed sheets. Her skin was red with heat, he had gone through that too, but he didn't have the power to endure 6 tails like she had. He knew she probably didn't even realize it either. He watched horrified as her skin tore itself away, and blue marks spread over her black and red body, making them take on a dark blue, purple hue.

Sakura walked into the room with a medicine case. "Naruto-" She saw Hiaru, and covered her mouth.

Naruto looked back at his little girl. "She lost control. Her Kyuubi took over. Producing a 6 tails."

"Oh my goodness. A six tails? But that- that's impossible! Her body shouldn't-"

"But she did. She endured it, and even now I see her healing in speeds I never could have pulled off. Orochimaru's after her, and her Kyuubi's taking more control of her each time she tries to use it. I'm not sure what to do about that Sakura."

Sakura began healing Hiaru. "I'm not sure either Naruto... Maybe you could train her. Teach her to get better control of it. Maybe along the way you can teach her rasengan. You know she's been dying to learn it. Plus it'd give you two some time to yourselves. Maybe that would make her feel a bit happier."

"Yeah. It's a good idea. I haven't spent a lot of time with her lately. Probably why that'd happened. I'll see to some off time so we can train."

Sakura smiled. Hiaru was healing extremely well. Her skin was coming close to her natural color.

An assistant knocked on the door. "Hokage sama. You need to be present for the next round." he said.

Naruto sighed and got up. "Take care of her Sakura." he said and left for the arena.

~~Yukii's POV~~

He knew that he should've been paying attention, but he couldn't get himself to focus. The image of her skin, peeling off, revealing the black and red beast that lived within.

He'd never seen it at this magnatude. It... It frightened him. That's what he hated the most, was that it truly terrified him.

He cast a glance at Rika. She also couldn't focus. she stared off at a point on the ground somewhere. Something told him that she felt guilty.

Someone was announced the winner, but Yukii didn't catch their name. He looked to the board as the names of the last oponents were drawn. He and Kina were the last competators.

~~ Hiaru's POV ~~

I woke feeling dizzy and exhausted. Skaura sat beside me, healing me. She glanced up at me and did a double take. "You're awake? So early?"

"How long have I been out?"

She paused "An hour."

"Has Yukii fought?"

She paused again, by the look in her face she didn't want to tell me. "He's fighting now."

"Okay" I said getting up. She tried to push me back down, but I'd already swung my legs over the edge. "Sakura. I'm not going to miss his fight. Even if I have to drag myself." I stared at her determinedly.

She put her hands on her hips and huffed. After a few moments she gave in. "Fine. Hold on." She trotted into the next room and came back with a wheel chair.

I sat there for a moment. "Really?"

She put her hands on her hips again. "Try and stand up then."

I jumped off of the bed to stand, only to colapse to the ground not 3 seconds later. I glared at the ground. "Okay you win this round."

She helped me into the chair and pushed me to the arena. We got to a door and she picked me up from there. Walking into the arena, Sakura jumped onto the balcony. I grunted at the landing.

She set me down next to Rika. Rika stared at me bewildered "Hiaru!? What the hell are you doing here? You should be resting."

I ignored her and turned to the fight. Yukii looked beaten and bloodied already. He wasn't even trying. Kakashi looked stressed as he watched his son be beaten into a bloody pulp.

"Yukii!" I yelled. His head snapped in my direction, his eyes widening. I gave him a reassuring smile "Come on! Kick her ass! I know you've got it in you!"

There was a shange in his eyes as he turned back to his opponent. I watched as he unleashed his true strength. I glanced up at Kakashi. I saw pride shimmering in his eye.

He must have sensed me staring because he said "It's because of you, you know. You're the reason he works so hard to acheive. He works, so you'll notice him."

I watched Yukii switch from genjutsu to taijutsu. I would've activated my byakugan, but I just didn't have the strength to use it at the time. Most of it was a blur, but I got the basics of what was happening. One hit the other blocked, the one who blocked hit, the other blocked.

Yukii and Kina were pretty evenly matched. I guess the wolf went out a long time ago. She was laying on the other side of the room on her side. At least she was breathing.

My attention focused back on Yukii. Kina blocked herself, but Yukii found a way to counter it. She had both hands blocking a kick, He knocked both hands to the side so she was wide open, then he gave a powerful kick to the stomach, sending her soaring.

I smiled, knowing that the blow took her out. After she didn't get up for a few minutes the referee claimed Yukii the winner.

I cheered for him. He just stood there for a moment, then sat down. He threw a fist in the air and layed back on the floor.

My dad poofed to the arena floor. "Well done. Those of you who've won your fights will move on to the next challenge. The final stage of the chunin exams will be held on August the 18th. You have 2 months to prepare for the final exams. Those of you who've lose, you'll have to try again next year. Now then. Why don't we all go home?"

Home. The name never sounded sweeter.

**~~ Authors note~~**

**Okay so long chapter (could've been longer if I knew how to write fight scenes correctly). Did you enjoy it? Did it kinda suck? You want more action between RikaXDiasuke and HiaruXYukii?**

**Well then comment about it! Give me ideas for the story, vote, give me inspiration! If you don't, no more chapters. I require 5 votes and comments. Yes it can be like 2 votes and 3 comments. I'll count that. So long as the two combined equal 5 or above... If it's not there already.**

**On another note! My best friend/sister has stories as well. DeiSame. Look her up. Read her stories. Comment on her stories. Vote her stories.**

**Yes I'm black mailing you guys, only because her stories aren't getting noticed! And it's not fair to her! Or me! Because then I don't get to read her stories. So read her amazing stories! She's awesome! I highly recomend her stories.**

**Well on a less urgent note, thank you for reading (my little rank here included), I hope you enjoyed it, and hopefully there'll be another chapter up soon!**

**Love you gummy bears!**

**~~Shawnie out**


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